Too Far Gone
by Scorpina
Summary: He has no right to call himself an M Class Dragon. After the incident with the exterminator, Snek struggles to find his place among them. He's nothing like the others, which makes him wonder what kind of hero is he really?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"I do apologize about the arrangement, since we do have three new faces to the table, we will be changing the room from here on when there is an S and M Class meeting,"

The room was a little snug, and yet the heroes endured, there was no other option but to. It was the first meeting that had the new M Class Dragons has sat in on, no one really knew what to expect. However, the stares given to Snek were ones he could do without. "Do you really all have to be looking at me like that?" he demanded. He took up a good portion of the back of the room. "I just ate! Get over it," He turned away from the table and sipped the coffee that was brought to him.

Suiryu was all smiles as he sat next to Snek, yet also put his feet up. Max sat rather politely next to Melee but kept his distance from Genos just in case he short-circuited him. Garou sat with his arms crossed, he didn't like how close everyone was to him. Matters didn't help much since he had to leave the twins with Pac and Hunter. Only one of his children was permitted to sit among the S Class, and that was Alley. Sitch insisted since they now consider her the new Metal Knight. "I heard you have two new little brutes to your brood, names?" questioned Puri-Puri Prisoner.

"You are staying away from the twins!" snapped Melee. "I don't care if you can't help yourself around the boys, and I know you are in jail for a lot of reasons, but touch ANY of them, and I can assure you a death sentence"

The room froze to her tone. "Ouch…" muttered Metal Bat.

"I second that" said Garou.

"Enough!" Sitch said. He sighed aloud to it all. "We are here to have a meeting, right now I have great concern over this house of evolution. It appears there is more than one branch and more are popping up. Their obsession right now is to create a human hybrid of man and monster."

"It is true," explained Alley. She took over and used the computer to bring up charts and graphs. "The house of evolution has been using monster cells and my cure in attempts to create the perfect hybrid. But I think they are now starting to figure out that this radical change with the two materials at hand is not enough, nor is it guarantee to create what they want from it."

"So what does that mean?" asked Zombieman. "If they can't perfect it, they will move on from monster cells, won't they?"

Alley paused. "I think they are still looking into using monsters, but now in a different form. Before I broke out of the GeneX labs, they gave up on the notion of using my cure to create their hybrid, and they intended on using me more mating purposes."

Snek spat out his coffee in shock. "What!?" he demanded. "Were they that desperate for results?"

"I don't think it is the idea of desperation," she explained. "More of a path of least resistance… and no, that would not have been easy for them to accomplish anyway. I could blow the place up if I wanted to, but held back since I didn't know if there were anyone else at risk inside the building."

"So what do you think they are looking into now?" asked Max.

Alley brought up another chart of a DNA helix. "I know they are still sticking with their basic knowledge of genetic research. However, I am starting to believe that the recent events of the past few weeks are linked to the house of evolution. The so called Exterminator was using a weapon that I have not seen before. Powerful to say the least, and yet for what purpose?"

"To destroy monsters with sound waves, right?" asked Silverfang.

Alley shook her head. "If that was the case it failed. Snek took two shots from that and lived. The last one though that should have been fatal, and yet, he survived."

The room stared back at Snek oddly. "What!?" he demanded.

"You survived that? A normal person would be killed!" said Child Emperor. "It take only a fluctuation of a few psi to kill a person!" he then stood up and explained the he rebuilt the weapon with Alley, they have tested it to see it's damaging potential and showed the video. On it's low setting, it was enough to kill a person. "On it's highest setting the psi of it created a wind of nearly 800 miles per hour. This… this is lethal, and it was the last setting it was on. According to the computer on it, it was fired once on that level… Snek… you took that head on did you?" Child Emperor asked.

He didn't answer. "Does it matter if I did?" he said. "Look, all I know is this, I got hit, I blacked out. It's all I remember." He said bitterly.

"It's remarkable strength!" announced Darkshine. "Not even King wouldn't have survived that!"

"Look, I rather not talk about it, can we just move on already?"

Child Emperor was surprised, but nodded. "We believe that the weapon was merely a test for its true purpose. It cannot destroy a monster body that we know. So the question remains, why was it made?"

"That we will find out soon enough. I want to keep a close eye on this house of evolution branch, and I know there are many more we have yet to find. For now, I am asking the M Class to be careful. I believe they are more focused on you for the time being than the rest of the S Class."

"We will keep you informed, the moment we know something we will let the association know." Said Melee.

Sitch nodded, but then he gave a sigh. "I have also been asked if there are any M Class Dragons that want to move into the association." He said aloud. "You are aware after the monster association attack, one of Metal Knight's last acts was to expand the association to house wealthy benefactors…"

"Go to hell," said Garou. "We are not some fancy accessory for the rich to have, or a living perk!"

Sitch nodded. "I know you speak for your family, Garou. But do you speak for everyone else?" he asked. Sitch turned to Snek. "Are you interested?"

"Hell no," Snek said with a sour tone. "Why the hell would I want to live here? I still got a place in City F that I want to go back to…" then his face soured, "but can't."

"I still have a place to call home, I rather not be with some rich folks who think I am at their beck and call." Said Max.

Suiryu laughed. "I do my own thing, I am not going to be a doorman!"

Sitch nodded and smirked. "I had to ask, but it is clear to me that no M Class Dragons will want to live here."

"I wouldn't want them here either! I mean, seriously!" said Tatsumaki. "And I heard Snek sheds!"

"Shaddup!" he snapped back.

"Make me!"

"ENOUGH!" protested Sitch. He then sighed. "That's all for today, we better get everyone out of here before a fight breaks out."

With that, the room was dismissed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Earlier.

"We will be back, you two going to be okay?" questioned Melee.

Draven and Goliath have never been in the Association before. It was all new and different to them. Despite the fact they were born there, neither remembered the building. Goliath was curious enough to wonder about, Draven not so much. "Can Snake stay with us?" he asked nervously.

"Snake has to go to the meeting. Pac and Hunter will stay with you though."

"I rather stay with Snake." Muttered Draven.

Despite the rapid aging, their mental age has yet to catch up with them. Goliath was getting there, somehow he was starting to act more and more like his appeared age of 15 than his twin Draven. But, he has also been reading a lot more too. "We will manage mom, come on Draven, I think they have a library!"

Hunter and Pac then showed up. "Sorry, we're late," said Hunter. "I had to help Saitama with his grocery shopping again."

"I was out training." Said Pac.

"That's fine, I need you two to keep an eye on the twins. Okay? Show them around a little bit and find something they may like to pass the time."

The brothers nodded as they took their younger siblings on a tour. The first place they brought them was the lunchroom. "The food is good here, you can ask what they make for Pig God and have a meal made for you. His stuff is the better grub" explained Hunter.

Goliath's stomach rumbled aloud. "Maybe I should try some of that now."

With that, the brothers took their siblings in and got them fed. Goliath was able to out eat Hunter and Pac, much to their amazement. Draven was reluctant to eat, stating he rather be with his parents or with Snake. "You got to stop calling him that!" protested Pac. "His name is Snek!"

Draven glared at him. "We have always called him Snake!"

Goliath nodded. "I know his real name is Snek… but… I rather call him Snake too."

"That's not polite." Said Pac.

"But he hasn't corrected us," said Draven.

"Oh, he's tried. Maaaannnnnyyyy times." Teased Hunter.

"Oh… well, he's Snake to us, and that's the way he stays." Goliath said defiantly.

Hunter and Pac rolled their eyes. As the twins finished their lunch, they continued the tour. There was a side of the association that the brothers themselves have never seen before. But then again, they didn't really explore a heck of a lot, even they were pretending to live there when Metal Knight was after them. Curiosity got he better of Pac and Hunter as they managed to convince the twins to follow them to another section.

There was a massive metal door that blocked their way. Hunter did remember passing it many times over but never got to open it. There was a speaker there, he approached it as a robotic voice asked. "Hero name and rank."

He smiled. "The Leviathan Prince, Class A rank 40"

There was silence as the massive metal door opened! "I guess ranks do have their perks!" he said.

The door opened and revealed a massive hallway, but it appeared to be full of shops and stores!

"What is this?" Pac wondered.

The four of them walked through and took everything in. It was a mall by the looks of it, and yet the more the brothers peered about, the more they realized who walked this strange place. It was all the rich families they have seen before, sheltered from the outside world. It was their own utopia in a sense! "Gah, I feel so dirty now that I used my rank to get in this place." Hunter muttered in disgust.

"What is it, Hunter?" asked Goliath. "This doesn't appear normal, is it?"

"Far from it little bro," he said. "This is where those who have a lot of money, and I mean A LOT of it, live. They are protected inside this building from monster attacks."

"Oh… why aren't the other people in here? The ones from the cities? Are they not in danger of monster attacks too?" asked Draven.

"They are, but people in the cities cannot afford to live here. It costs a lot of money," explained Pac. "In the world there are people with great wealth, and then there are those who don't have as much. Some don't really have any at all. But those who have a lot of it, can pay the price to live in a sheltered building like this."

Goliath looked about, but he sneered to it all. "That's not fair."

"Not everything is fair, it's best we pop that bubble now," said Hunter.

"NO WAY!"

The brothers froze as suddenly, people began to stop and notice them. "The sons of Garou! NO WAY!..." but then, people paused as they stared at Goliath and Draven oddly. "Who are they?"

"Let's move on." Said Pac. They continued to wonder about, until they found a place of interest for Goliath. There was a library! "Want to go in?" Pac asked.

"I want to see what books they have. I read all the ones at home. I finally understood why Snake hated Pat the Bunny so much. The ending was too obvious."

Pac snickered as the brothers ventured in. Yet, as they entered, the brothers realized the library wasn't really a library. It was a collection; the rich and powerful have taken every book of value and locked it into the association for safekeeping. Rare and unseen books were for the rich only. Yet, the brothers walked in unopposed despite the security detail guarding the place.

Goliath's eyes drank in the sight of so many possible stories to read, words to learn and adventures to imagine. Draven couldn't quite make sense of it all. "Why are there so many? Why aren't people reading them?" he asked.

"Sometimes, people have books for the sake of having them, possession is more important than the words the pages may contain. But I don't see the harm in reading some of these." Said Hunter.

With that, Goliath was off! He began looking through the stacks and shelves of books until he overheard some of the rich kids talking. "This is my father's prized possession! The ultimate rare book!" the rich teenager said.

His friends weren't impressed. "It looks like nothing! Just some big dumb black book!"

"Oh really? Lift it and try to open it!"

There soon came to be a challenge of strength. Goliath hung back and watched the teenagers try to even lift the book, it appeared a lot heavier than anticipated. Then, when it came to opening it, it was all but impossible! "What the hell!"

The kid snickered. "Dad has called every locksmith in the city to try and open this book! No one could! Rumor has it; it's a spell book! A cursed one!"

His friends appeared slightly more impressed as they left the book alone and went on their way. Curiosity got the better of Goliath. A hardback that difficult to open must be good! So he waited, he wanted to be certain the teenagers were far from him before attempting himself.

The coast was clear, he approached and stared down at the large black book. The outside appeared to be made of metal, strong metal at that. He was able to lift it just fine but then found a slight inscription. His fingers ran down the words. "Strength isn't everything, but sometimes it's the only thing." He whispered. Taking his time, he looked it over from cover to spine. He found small indents along the side where it should open if one wanted it too. With care he placed it down and lodged his fingers into the small grooves. Then he pulled!

It took nearly every ounce of his strength, yet he pried it open!

Goliath was proud of himself, until he began to look at the first page. "Brawler…" he whispered. But paused. "Mom's last name is Brawler… isn't it?" he began to go through the pages and found names.

Near the very back of the book, he saw three. Street, Knuckle and Melee. There was a photo on the page, Goliath stared down and found it was indeed his mom! "Mom had brothers?" he wondered.

There were a few words written. "Knuckle and Street Brawler, twin brothers. Sons of the Brawler of City B. Photo of them 14 years old with younger sister Melee Brawler, age 10." He looked about to see if anyone was around. Not a soul was seen, so he took the picture out and tucked it into his pocket. He went on to read more. "The Brawlers have always been protectors of the cities, dating back generations. The original hero association as many dubbed this family, they took on any fight, and stood their ground when confronted by danger or to protect others. Their family battle cry could be heard for miles if done correctly, it can also strike fear into the hearts of enemies."

He paused from the words and remembered the events from a few weeks ago, when Snake got hurt and he went back to help him. Goliath felt himself change. Draven did too. Yet, when they needed strength it came to them, aging both the twins to fifteen year olds. He then recalled the howl he unleashed, roaring Brawl at the top of his lungs and as deep as he could. "Was that the battle cry?" he wondered.

As he flipped through the pages, he found more pictures, many of his mother with a much older and bigger man. "Mom's dad…" he whispered. There was even one of her as an infant, her brothers gathered around her with their father and a woman who he could only assume was his mom's mom. Goliath didn't hesitate as he took photo after photo, but as his pockets filled, he heard voices. Quickly, he closed the book up and placed it back. He continued on as he pretended to peer through the shelves once more. "Goliath!"

He heard his name called. "Over here!" he howled back.

"Mom and dad are done! We're going home!"

"Coming!"

He made his way back to the front of the odd library, his brother Draven didn't appear to be impressed. "I didn't want to read anyway!" he pouted.

Hunter stood next to him rolling his eyes. "What's wrong with him?" Goliath asked.

"He couldn't find a book he could read. He's having trouble."

"I'll help you!"

"I want to do it myself!"

Goliath was taken aback by his twin's tone. He felt there was something more to this than what was being said. Pac rejoined them and announced he was ready to leave. "Some teenagers keep following me around, asking if I was staying here. Hell no! I am not living among these rich snobs!"

"They do have a lot of books." Muttered Goliath.

"But then they think you belong to them," said Hunter. "You need to be careful around people like this little bro. They don't consider those who have less money then they do, as people. Matters don't help much that we aren't exactly human to being with."

"What do you mean? We are… aren't we?"

Pac turned and glared at Hunter. "Way to go. You ripped the Band-Aid off this one!"

"Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything."

But it was too late. Goliath wasn't going to forget that. Draven didn't appear to be paying attention.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The meeting was done.

Garou was outside with Melee, Snek, Suiryu and Max. They were about to speak when something ran by them rather quickly. It was a fleeting image, unseen by the human eye. Just passing by was Flash, and yet he was looking at Max before giving the nudge for him to follow before he vanished. Max froze to the sight. "Well, aren't you going?" demanded Snek.

"Wait, what?" question Suiryu.

"Come on, you saw that too! Flash wants Max to follow him."

Suiryu stared at Snek oddly. "But, you saw that too?"

Snek shrugged his shoulders to it all. Max on the other hand turned to Garou, who gave a nod. "I would see what he wants, best not to keep him waiting."

Max nodded as he followed Flash. Some Associate members however appeared in the hall. "Snek, Suiryu, since you're here, we need to update your photos for the heroes association handbook!"

"Not interested," said Snek.

"What do you mean not interested? You are moved to M Class Dragon now! You're no longer an A Class hero!" protested Suiryu. "Come on, it will be fun!"

Snek didn't want to go, but Suiryu began to drag him along. He went reluctantly.

"Okay, this is depressing even for Snek. He was doing so well before, what the hell is his problem!?" demanded Melee.

"He thinks he's still the weakest hero out of the M Class." Garou explained. "Ever since that run in with the exterminator, he thinks he could have handled it better and taken a stronger hit. He doesn't see that he survived a point blank shot with a sonic pressure that should have killed him twice. He doesn't think he's strong anymore because the twins had to save him."

"They grew because of him, didn't they?" Alley asked.

"That was the only reason why they grew," said Melee. "I've come to see that now, when you kids are under great pressure and what to protect those you care about, you do whatever it takes to accomplish that. Even if it means growing beyond your means."

Alley paused. "I should study us and see how that happened. Then again, I don't think any of us want to be studied upon after what happened with Metal Knight. I am curious to the twins though. Goliath is developing faster than Draven on a psychological level."

"Goliath was reading three weeks straight," said Garou. "After we brought Snek home, he asked me to help him read. We would practice during the day, at night, he went to Snek's room and read to him. Just as Snek did with them."

"Aaaww!" said Alley. "That's adorable!"

Melee giggled too. "That is very cute!"

"Yeah, well, Snek knows the twins better than me. I had that coming; I didn't stop them from sneaking into his room. I didn't stop Kong and Loincloth from nearly stepping on them…"

"Don't be hard on yourself!" Melee protested. "They moved far faster than we anticipated, Snek saved them just in time. That's why they are so attached to him, Garou, are you jealous that the twins prefer to go to him than you?"

He growled lowly. "They are my sons… and yet… they act like they are his…"

"They don't act like they are his, you know it! They also went to Snek since he was captive half the time, he couldn't move even if he wanted to! He had no choice but to endure the twins constantly hounding him for attention."

"Still…"

"Dad, it's nothing serious, the twins know you are their father. They just bonded with Snek, that's all."

"Dad! Mom!"

Garou turned as the twins came down the hall with Hunter and Pac. "Did you know there's another side of the association where rich snobs live?" questioned Draven.

"More than aware. How did you guys get on that side of the association?" he asked.

"Hunter's rank got us in." Pac explained. "Since he is in A Class, it needed to be an A class rank or higher."

"They got a place full of books, but… no one is reading them. It's a shame really."

"We already explained why there were so many books," Hunter muttered.

Goliath then turned to his mother, he wanted to say something but stopped himself. "I have something to show you… when we get home!" he said.

Garou smirked, he figured his son has done something that maybe he shouldn't have. But either way, it will be interesting to see what he found.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Max knew he wasn't seeing things.

The fact that Snek saw it too, was nothing short of amazing. Still, when Garou told Max to follow Flash to see what he wanted, he was a little worried. Did their 'rookie crushing' offend him somehow? Did he insult Flash? Was it something he did?

Max knew there was only one place where he would want to meet, the sparring room where their bout took place. And he was right. Waiting in the middle of the room, Flash stood. This time, he bothered to look at him. Max went in with caution. "Hey… did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Flash stared at him oddly, perhaps trying to look for something. "You… have skill." He said.

"Uh… thank you."

"Unrefined skill… but skill nonetheless." Flash began to approach him oddly, looking over Max from top to bottom. "Speed is a great asset, and yet it can be your greatest hindrance if you cannot control it. You couldn't." he said flat out. "I noticed this, since you were going fast enough in attempts to keep up with me. In doing so, left your vulnerable and open for attack. Which is why I struck you many times over. Still… I know potential when I see it."

Max froze to the news, was Flash actually complimenting him? "I am still working on my power. Despite the time I have been likes this; it's not always easy for me to control myself. I can go so fast and control what I do. But any faster, I can't."

Flash then stood before Max, his eyes bore into his when he said. "How hard are you willing to train?"

"I'll train as hard as I have to, as I need to. Why?"

Flash was silent for a moment, perhaps debating the thoughts in his own head. "I'll train you."

He froze to the news. Flashy Flash will train him? Max was at a loss for words. "But… but why? Do you care that I am a half monster?"

Flash's lip flinched slight, almost making a sneer on his face. "I have faced many monsters and you may possess their strength, but I don't see you as one of them." He said. "Max, I came from a ninja village where training is strict, discipline is a must, and failure isn't an option. With that being said, are you interested? I am aware that Garou has been teaching you as well. Question is, who do you want to learn from?"

Flash then turned and walked out of the room. "I will give you a week to decide," and left shortly after.

Max couldn't believe his ears though. Flash, wants to train him? Or was there more to this than what is being said? He walked out of the room, just as an association employee approached. "Max! There you are, still here. Can we get you for your updated profile photo? We are working on the new hero guide and want to get your new section ready!"

"Uh… sure." He said. Max followed the woman down the hall to the photo shoot. There he saw Suiryu eating it up with the camera, posing proudly scales and all! However, a farther distance down, they were having trouble with Snek.

"Your pose doesn't work!" the photographer said. "That's your old pose, it doesn't highlight you well"

"I've always done my photos like this!" Snek protested. "What's wrong with it?"

"Your pose looks… weird." The photographer explained. "When you had legs, it made sense. This… this doesn't."

Snek hissed. "What? Because I don't have legs it doesn't work!" He began to puff himself up. His body tensed as his arms extended out and his fingers hooked. Suddenly, the photos were shot! He settled down but protested what was taken. "No, don't use those!" he begged.

"But… these are perfect! Look at you!" On the larger screen it showed off Snek as a strong and powerful hero. The way he puffed himself up, his body coiling and tensing to strike. It really was a perfect shot. Also one could hardly tell he just ate recently.

"Whoa… NICE!" Suiryu called from across the room.

"STAY OUT OF IT!" Snek snapped back. "I don't want that photo used, it's… it's not me."

The photographer sighed. "Okay, let's keep trying then."

Max was forced along as he came to where he would be taking his photo. Snek inspired him though to display his strength. When the photographer approached, he told Max to do a relaxed photo, then a powerful one. Max did his relax stance and was pleased with it. Then, came the power one. With his feet spread apart, Max began to surge. The power he built up earlier and from what he stored in his body began to course around him. He took a stance and allowed the electricity to flow all around him. The shot was taken, using his tentacles, he drew the power back into himself once more. "Oh, I didn't know you had those! One more, let those out!"

"Really? I like to keep them hidden." He said.

"Come on Max, let's see the full you!"

With a roll of his eye, Max took off his shirt. He let the tentacles loose from his side and displayed them with great reluctance. The photo was taken. "Okay, I think we got all we need here! Thanks Max!"

He gave but a nod. Just as he finished, so did Snek. Suiryu was still posing until Snek yanked him out of the room. "Let's go already, I am not waiting around for you to look pretty for the camera!"

"Ow! Okay! OW! Hey!" Suiryu protested. Snek merely grabbed his arm, and yet he was able to yank the young martial artist from the room. "How did you get so strong, seriously… OW!" Suiryu protested.

"Oh knock it off, you're stronger than me, and you know it. Quite trying to humor me. I want to go now." Snek said as he slithered off.

Max was getting worried. "He's in that mood again. He doesn't think he is strong enough."

Suiryu was rubbing his arm. "I wasn't humoring him… he really did grab my arm rather harshly… damn!" Max turned and saw the bruising on Suiryu, right where Snek had grabbed him. Snek doesn't even know his own strength!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Melee was waiting for the other three to return. In the mean time Garou listened to Goliath explain to him the library he saw and how he wants to go back to it. He was promised then and there that Garou would bring him back sooner than later. "Oh my… Look at these stud muffins!"

Melee cringed as she heard the voice of Puri-Puri Prisoner. She turned and glared as he came closer to the twins, but he was eyeing Goliath most of all. "Hello there little man, what's your name?" he whispered in a sweet tone.

Goliath was very uncertain around him. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Puri, what did I say about you hitting on my boys!" Melee warned.

"Oh darling, let them fly free and make their own choice. Besides, I am not the worst they could do." His sights set on Draven next. However Garou was getting poised to strike him where he stood. Yet he was beaten to the punch. A serpent tail coiled around Puri-Puri Prisoner's neck! He was lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall. He came face to face with Snek.

"The lady said… lay off… Get it?!" he demanded.

Puri began to turn red in the face, and then started turning shades of blue before being released. He gasped for air as Snek stared down at him. "Next time… take the damn hint." He warned.

Puri-Puri Prisoner coughed aloud until he regained his breath. "You just want the boys to yourself!"

"What…." Hissed Snek.

Puri picked himself off the ground. "You heard me, you want them to yourself. I heard that the boys have always been drawn to the likes of you, I doubt it's your charm!"

Snek struck hard and fast! This time he coiled completely around Puri demanding he take every word back. "HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU ASSHOLE!"

"Snek! Let him go! Let him go!" Melee begged. Puri was getting weak as Snek continued to crush him!

"Snake! He's not worth it!" pleaded Goliath. "Please, stop."

Snek froze but then stopped himself. He eventually released Puri-Puri Prisoner before glaring down at him once more. "Don't ever insult me like that again!" he warned.

"Meet us outside Snek, we're going home." Said Melee.

"Gladly, you coming kids?"

Draven smiled and nodded, Goliath nodded but kept turning to Puri who continued to gasp for air. Hunter, Pac and Alley were quick to cox their sibling outside. Garou turned and glared down at the fallen S Class hero. He wrenched him off the ground and slammed him into the wall. "Exactly what Snek said, take the hint. When we say back off… BACK OFF! Don't you dare test us when it comes to our children!"

He released Puri after that who continued to struggle for air. When he finally gained his breath, he said the strangest thing. "Darling, if Snek wasn't a hero… he's got a whole other career he could go into…"

Melee glared down at Puri. "You really don't know when to stop do you?" she asked.

A devious grin came over him as he got to his feet, before he could utter a word, Melee sent him flying down the hall with her esper power. She didn't care what he hit… if he hit anything. The man needs to know when to back off! "Ooo, that's Tatsumaki worthy." Garou said with a grin.

"And yet, I am not satisfied. Next time beat the hell out of him, see if he likes that," she said.

Max and Suiryu soon joined them, with their photo shoot done for the day, it was time to go home. Melee flew nearly everyone. Pac, Hunter and Alley flew themselves.

"When can we do that?" asked Draven. "I want to fly too!"

"You need to be a little older and develop these powers. You may not get them either." Melee explained.

"I want flying power!" protested Draven.

Goliath was oddly quiet. Normally he would be right in there with Draven on wanting something, but he was silent.

By the time they got home, Snek announced he was going out to clear his head. Max was going on patrol, Suiryu wanted to take Alley out. Hunter and Pac went out as well. As everyone disburse, Melee went in the house and tried to decide what to make for dinner. That was when Goliath approached her. "Mom…" he said gently. "Did you have brothers?"

She froze to the question. Turning to Goliath, he didn't appear curious, but saddened. "I did… how did you know that?"

He reached into his pocket and took out the pictures. When they hit the counter top, she began to tremble. They were her family photos! "Goliath… where?" she asked.

"A book at that place that looked like a library. It was in a massive one made of metal… it was hard to open, but I managed."

Melee felt her heart racing in her chest. "My family history… that book was lost in the monster attack, I was told it was never recovered."

"Someone has it mom, they can't open it, but it's a center piece for a collection. I know taking is wrong, but… they are your photos aren't they?"

She nodded to him. Melee took a moment with the photos, savoring the sight of them. Even crying at the ones with her and her father. "I haven't seen these in years." She whispered.

Placing the pictures to the side, she embraced Goliath full heartedly. "Thank you, thank you so much!"

He returned the hug, but she felt him hesitate. "Mom… what happened to your brothers?"

Her embrace became very loose, she pulled away slightly, but didn't say anything. "Mom… I want to know. I haven't met them, or seen them. If they are your family, you would have let them meet us by now."

"Goliath, I don't think that is an appropriate question to ask your mother."

Leaning against the doorway was Garou. He approached his son and pulled him away for a moment. "But dad…"

"Goliath. Not now." He insisted.

He was reluctant to let the question go unanswered. Melee however began to cry. Goliath froze. "Mom… I hurt mom didn't I? I'm so sorry!"

"No, Goliath, it's not you. I'm… I'm just remembering…" she explained.

"Perhaps it's best you go to your room and read for a bit, help Draven read just as good as you do. Okay?" Garou suggested. His son nodded and left. Melee had to sit down and soak everything in. It brought back many fond memories, and terrible ones. Garou reached down and helped her to her feet once more. He braced her tightly against himself, and tried to console her.

"You going to be okay?" he asked.

"Eventually. Just… So much is hitting me at once." Her arms coiled a little tighter around him. "I can't believe he found those photos…"

Garou fell silent, those are her photos, that book belongs to Melee, not some rich snob. He knew what he had to do, but, he knows he has to do it discreetly.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Goliath felt horrible.

He knew he made his mother cry, but it wasn't intentional. He would never upset her, and yet, the tears she shed, it broke his heart. Slowly, he made his way back to his room, but even there, tears flowed.

He walked in on his brother Draven, weeping. "You okay?" he asked.

Draven shook his head to him, but continued to sob. "I never got the chance…" he said and trailed off.

Goliath sat on his own bed, but wondered what his twin was referring to. Draven looked up from his pillow before revealing what he clenched in his arms. The outfit Snek bought just for him, it was far too small for him to wear. "I never got a chance to wear it, to enjoy it…" he said.

Goliath nodded to him. "Me either." He said and showed his outfit, he kept it under his pillow. He stared at it oddly, his massive hand traced over the little alligator that was on the shirt. "I wanted to wear this so badly too, it felt cozy…" he sighed though and tucked it back under his pillow.

"I want to wear it… so much!" Draven said and began to sob once more. "I thought… I thought we would turn back." He whispered. "Dad can change all the time, change his shape… I thought we would return back to our small size after helping Snake…."

"I thought so too." Said Goliath. He then stared at his hands and sighed. "I guess we can't. But, if we didn't… Snake would have gotten really, really hurt."

Draven nodded as he placed his little outfit off to the side, he huddled up on his bed, bringing his knees to his chest. "I thought…" he trailed off as tears fell once more.

"Is this part of the reason why you don't want to read?" Goliath asked. "Knowing you will grow up even more?"

He nodded. "I thought if I kept my mind the way it was, my body would follow, I think like a little boy, I will become one again… guess that's not true, is it?"

"Sadly no," Goliath sighed, but then he smiled. "You know what we can do now that we couldn't do before?"

Draven paused as he thought it over, but then, his eyes lit up. "We can fight monsters with mom and dad!"

"And Snake!"

"YEAH!" he said and got all excited, but then paused. "We… don't know how to fight yet, do we?"

"We can do a little bit, but nothing like Hunter and Pac… We can train now though. How about that, you and me, we start training and we will help Snake and mom and dad"

Draven nodded with excitement. "Yeah!" but then he paused. "Is it going to be hard?"

"Maybe. I haven't trained before."

"Oh…" Draven appeared reluctant now, but Goliath assured him, after what they went through with the man in the weird suit, training wouldn't be that difficult.

"We will start soon, but for now, I think we have to try and better understand how big and strong we really are… Dad got short!"

Draven laughed. "Mom too!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Elsewhere.

Snek was slithering through the woods near the house. His mind has been plagued with different thoughts and situations as of late. In mere weeks he went from being okay with himself to doubting his abilities once more. He knows what happened between him and the exterminator was a difficult fight, he agrees he should have died after the second blast but didn't. It took time to heal and yet, he wasn't happy with himself. "I should have avoided that blast, instead I walked right into it." He muttered.

He paused, only to stare down at his own two hands. He let out a deep sigh. "What's the point?" he said to himself. "Why should I bother to stay like this if I can't even fend off one asshole with a weapon? What's the point in being human if I can't do half the things I can like this? What the hell am I going to do?" In his anger, he turned and struck the closest thing to him, a massive rock. One strike and he was able to shatter it! Snek was startled by his own strength, before he was luck to chip away at it, even split it if he was that determined. Now, he can shatter it?

He froze at the sight before looking down at his fist. "Am I that much stronger?"

Shaking his head to it all, he continued on, trying to think things through. He still wants to be normal again. He wants to be human. Hell he misses the sensation of his own two feet on solid ground, and being able to kick a bad guy! Yet, in this form, he is capable of many things despite the lack of legs. "Snek?"

He paused and then felt gentle footsteps approaching him. "Alley?"

Alley came out of the thick of the woods, Snek paused when he felt sudden vibrations in the ground, but they were echoed from the trees. "Are you following me Suiryu!" he demanded as he shouted up into the trees.

Suiryu dropped down and landed before Snek, he smiled but became serious when Alley joined them. "Snek, I was wondering if you and the others would come by the lab tomorrow? I want to do a check up on you three to ensure everything is going well."

He sneered to the idea. "I'm fine!" he snapped. "I know I have grown, I gained weight, but I'm fine!"

"She wants to ensure her cure is still having its affect on us. You know how sometimes stuff can break down over the years…" Suiryu said offhandedly.

He didn't believe it for a moment. Snek turned to Alley and glared. "What's really going on?" he demanded of her.

Alley sighed. "I want to see how much you three have improved over the last year. I never got a chance to properly gage your strengths and abilities. I have a little bit of data to compare it too, but I want to be certain that your strength increase is natural and not monster. You have grown stronger in the past year, like my dad you appear to be absorbing the strength of the creatures you eat. I want to be certain that's the case."

Snek hissed at the notion. "That explains it," he muttered to himself. Suiryu peered behind him and saw the shattered bolder.

"Did… you break that?" asked Suiryu.

"Yeah, what of it?"

Even Alley appeared impressed. "Tomorrow, you two and Max are going to come with me. Let's see what has improved in the three of you."

Snek was reluctant to, but since it was Alley who asked him, he agreed. She never forced him to do anything he didn't want, and she was genuinely worried about him. With that, she decided to leave for the lab and prepare everything for tomorrow. Which left Snek with Suiryu.

Suiryu looked Snek over oddly. "You have gotten a lot stronger." He said offhandedly.

He blew off the comment. "Coming from the guy who called me a wimp."

"Hey, that was in the past…"

"Yeah well, you were right. That was in the past, same with me being human. Question is, what the hell am I now?"

Suiryu froze as Snek began to slink closer to him. "I'm still a wimp, aren't I? Compared to you, I can't jump, I can't launch myself off the walls and land a kick against an opponent. I don't have half my strength that I use to since it call came from my legs. What do I have?" he questioned.

"Whoa, where's this coming from? I never called you a wimp after that day. You tired to save my life, I have a whole new respect for heroes after that incident with Gouketsu, you and Max… I wanted to become a hero after you two and Saitama saved me that day." Suiryu tried to place a hand on Snek's shoulder, but he refused to allow it. "Snek. What's really wrong? Why won't you say anything?"

"It's not for me to tell anyone, not to mention it's what I have to do for me. None of you can help in the matter." he snapped back. "Besides, you guys are a lot better heroes than I am. If there were a rank for this class, I would be at the bottom of it too."

"You choke out monsters! I can't do that!" Suiryu protested. "You do so with ease, it can take you what? 10 minutes if that to take down a demon level threat? I still have to bash it until it stops moving. Max as to keep moving and shocking it until it's dead. You don't have to use so much force and energy to take something down, that's power Snek, power I will never possess."

"Just leave me alone."

Suiryu didn't say another word. When Snek looked again, he was gone. He continued on through the woods, trying to think and process his own thoughts…


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next day.

Alley had everything set up for the three.

Snek was still reluctant to be there, yet Max and Suiryu were curious to the tests. Alley explained they were doing simple exams, but she also needed a blood sample from them. They gave it willingly as she went to examine the samples. Child Emperor assisted with the testing. "We are going to see your strength, reflexes and speed. So we will start with reflexes first."

Using an ultra high-speed camera, they had Max, Suiryu and Snek aim for a target and strike it once with their fist. Suiryu went first. His strike was fast and precise, Child Emperor recorded the results and gave a nod. Max went second. His was just as fast! Last was Snek, he approached the target and then moved away.

"Come on a try Snek!" Suiryu insisted.

Snek glared at him oddly before slinking off to the side. Child Emperor froze oddly. "He did hit it… I couldn't see it!" He brought up the video, there in super slow motion was Snek striking the target. Max smirked to it.

"He's just as fast as I am!"

"You do realize serpent have phenomenal striking power? I mean in regular snakes they can move so fast to strike it would be twice the amount of G force a jet fighter could withstand." Child Emperor explained. "Snek, you have sped up!"

"Whatever," he said.

"Okay moving on, how about speed? Let's see what we go speed wise."

Each hero was tested on their speed, the most difficult one to test was Max, he could go faster than the machine designed to test it! "Okay, Max has gotten faster to say the least."

Suiryu went next, he too has gotten much faster than before, but also he demonstrated his speed on all fours. "Great improvement for Suiryu as well, lastly, Snek!"

He was reluctant to try, but since the other two did the test, he figured he would as well. He got on to the machine that moved like a treadmill. It began to go slowly then faster and faster! Snek kept up every time it increased its speed, Child Emperor was impressed as he kept increasing the speed time and time again. Snek didn't appear to be struggling as he continued to keep pace. He suddenly paused for a moment until he lunged forward! Snek nearly hit the wall! Child Emperor was impressed once more. "Given his size and weight, he shouldn't be able to move that fast," he said.

"What was his top speed?" asked Max.

Child Emperor crunched the numbers before coming to a result. "He can slither as fast as a snake strike. So that's faster than a person can blink. Yet when Snek strikes… it's nearly as fast as you Suiryu when you were human." Child Emperor paused. "Didn't he just eat a few days ago too? He may not even be going at this top speed!"

"He has gotten stronger!" said Max. "But I don't think he wants to believe it."

Snek came into the room. "Are we almost done here?" he demanded.

"Last is strength. Let's test that out."

Max was the weakest out of the three, he could lift over 900 pounds, but nothing more. Suiryu could lift that with one arm easily, Snek didn't want to attempt to lift weights. "What's the point?" he demanded.

"Snek, why are you resisting the tests?" asked Child Emperor. "It's to help us gauge your power level. Come on, you are an M Class Dragon! On par with the S Class! Let's see what you can do!"

His arms crossed, however using only the tip of his tail, he was able to lift the weights. The three froze at the sight, that's the weakest part of his body, has barely any muscle mass to it, and he lifted the weights with ease! "Happy?" he asked.

"Shit!" Suiryu announced. "That's power!"

"It's not power. I'm just using the tip of my tail."

Child Emperor took a closer look, Snek did only a single coil around the weights, and there wasn't much muscle in the tip of the tail to begin with, yet he could lift 900 pounds like it was nothing? "Snek, that's remarkable control!"

"I'm done." He announced. He began to slither off, but Child Emperor pleaded him to come back. Snek refused.

When he left the lab, Suiryu and Max appeared concerned. "This really isn't like him. What's his problem?" Suiryu said aloud.

Alley returned. "Good news, blood results are back, everything is the same, no one is growing anything weird or unusual." She said, but paused. "Where's Snek?"

"Left the lab, he's upset about something. We were testing his strength, he lifted 900 pounds using only the tip of his tail!" Child Emperor explained.

"That's remarkable!"

"He's not taking complements." Explained Max. "Alley, something is wrong with him, want to see if you can talk to him about it?"

She gave a nod and left the lab.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

She found him coiled outside of the lab. Snek was sunbathing and yet he didn't appear to be happy. She approached with caution. He didn't even look behind him when he said aloud. "No need for the ginger steps, I know you're there, Alley."

She sighed and came next to him. Using her esper power, she floated beside him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Snek grimaced. "I don't really want to talk about it, I told Suiryu yesterday this is my issue, and I need to deal with it."

Alley nodded. "Sometimes, having another know about it can help you figure it out. Why do you think I let Child Emperor use my lab and hang out here? I get stumped on something, I ask him. Usually it inspires me. But, I can tell with you it's not a simple issue or a question plaguing you."

Snek sighed. "What would you do in my position?" he asked of her. "You're like this, stuck to say the least, and yet it's the strongest you could ever become. If you are offered a cure… do you take it? Go back to being a mediocre hero? Or do you want to be human for the sake of being human? Or do you stay as this… thing, and do far more than you could imagine if you were normal?"

"Snek…"

"Alley, I want to be normal. I really do, but I am starting to see there is no point of it. What do I go back to? What do I become? How do I be that hero again when this version of me has done well over ten times the amount of accomplishments? Do I want to be human for the sake of it? Or is it something more? Knowing who and what I was, am I strictly doing this so I can correct the wrong done?"

Alley was silent, she had no idea this was going on in his mind. "As a human, you can get married, have children, teach them, raise them with the same values and morals you possess. You should be able to do it the way you are as well…"

"Don't humor me. Who would fall in love with this?" he demanded. "No, I think that's the main thing I have been thinking about too. As a human being, I can find true love. Have a family. I can't like this…"

"My father found love," said Alley. "You don't think you could with the way you are?"

"Do you think I look like I'm the kind someone would want to have kids with?" he asked.

"Snek…"

"No, I think I made up my mind. When there's a cure. I'm taking it!" he announced. "To hell with this, to hell with power and strength. I want to be me again damn it!"

Alley nodded. "I'll get back to work on the cure."

He nodded. "I'm going out to hunt something. Tell the guys I left without them." With that, Snek slithered off.

Alley felt her heart break for him. Snek is still conflicted, despite his announcement of wanting the cure, she could still sense he wasn't entirely convinced either of his own proclamation. She went back into the lab to tell the others he had gone off. That was until she got a call.

"Hello?"

"Alley Brawler… I think it is time we met…"

Her blood ran cold. She paused to the voice, she has heard it many times before. It sounded just like Dr. Genus, yet, how did this one obtain her number? "Which one are you? Who is this?" she demanded.

"Simple stated, you could call me 78."

'Damn, another clone!' she thought. "Okay, 78. What do you want compared to your brothers?" she demanded.

"Funny you should mention siblings. For I have two of yours!" Her heart suddenly froze as she heard the voice of Pac and Hunter on the line.

"ALLEY! DON'T!" Pac called.

"HE'S BAITING YOU!" said Hunter.

"How…" she whispered.

"It doesn't matter, what matters is that I have them. Question is, what are you going to do?"

She growled. "Where…" she demanded.

"Oh I think you can figure that out, I left you a clue in your lab. I do hope you find it in time, for their sake and all." The line went dead. Alley rushed back into the lab, panicked to say the least. She called her parents only to find no one picking up the phone.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Alley?" asked Suiryu.

"My brothers have been taken, another clone by the name of 78 has taken Pac and Hunter! He said he left a clue as to where they are, but I don't see anything! It's in the lab… BOFOI!"

Her robot assistance appeared. "Miss Brawler."

"Have there been any abnormalities in the lab? Someone must have broken in recently, did you find anything?" she asked.

"There was a breech, but nothing taken, the suspect was disposed of after breaking through the first line of defense. He left nothing more than a bag of sand."

"A bag of sand… where is it?"

"Analyzed for any abnormalities, sand is indigenous to the desert plains of City L."

"That's where they are…"

"Alley?" said Max. She snapped out of her gaze and saw Suiryu and Max at the ready. "Let's go get your brothers!"

She nodded, not before loading up on her supplies. "Child Emperor, I need you to be on stand by, in case anything goes wrong. Bofoi you as well! Be at the ready to register anything!" she pleaded.

"What's going on Alley?" asked Child Emperor.

"A new branch has formed in the house of evolution." She paused. "We got to get Snek, who knows if these bastards are coming after all of us at once!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The day before.

Shortly after arriving home from the heroes association. Hunter decided he needed to stretch his legs a little. The family appeared a little tense, so he knew it was best to leave or get drawn up into the tension. He hadn't seen his parents this upset in a long time, then again, he heard Puri-Puri Prisoner hit on his brothers! He was about ready to strike him down when Snek did it before him.

That was the other issue of the house. Snek wasn't acting like himself. He went from being comfortable, to being irritable once more. Something was eating away at him, but he refused to speak of it. With that, Hunter took his leave. He would head back to City Z and see if Genos would want to spar with him once more. He was getting stronger, that was certain. Genos provided great insight to his own power, it forced Hunter to think a little quicker on his feet. At the same time, appreciate the strength of Genos.

He went down the other side of the mountain, the more treacherous path that very few take. He found that to be a good stimulation for his reflexes and eyes. After all, the path constantly changes, with the rocks shifting and earth being disrupted. He was about to descend when he felt someone staring at him. A low growl escapes from him as he turned and saw a small drone peering at him. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded. But, he didn't care either. Hunter managed to kick up a rock from behind him discreetly. His left hand hid behind his back as he caught the stone. Without warning, he hocked the stone and knocked the drone from the sky. "Nailed it!" he said proudly.

Yet, as he turned, a much larger drone appeared.

"Oh please, that's supposed to scare me?"

BLAST!

Hunter felt the air knocked from him, a sonic shock wave hit him from behind, immobilizing him. He fell forward, unable to move. He would have plunged down the mountain if the drone had not caught him. From there, he blacked out…

#

He woke again.

He lay in sand of all things, but slowly, he came too. At first, the world around him blurred, but then he saw a familiar face. "Pac?" he said weakly. His eyes focused, it was indeed his brother! "PAC!"

Summoning his strength, Hunter got himself up again, but his body still trembled in weakness. He was strong enough to make it over to his brother. "Pac? Pac! Wake up!" he pleaded.

Pac struggled, his eyes slowly opened. "Uh… what happened?"

"I don't know bro, but we're in trouble…"

Pac slowly sat himself up. Hunter took in where they were and couldn't quite understand it. They were in a large facility, surrounded by thick layered walls with watchtowers. Whoever made this went through a lot of trouble building it. Stranger still was despite the fact it appeared they could easily fly out, Hunter saw the strange lines in the sky. A force field of sorts surrounded this place. At least he thought so. Hunter tried to summon both his esper powers, yet when he did, he felt his whole body revolt! His vision blurred and his head pounded with pain! "Son of a bitch!" he announced in agony. "Who on earth made this hellhole?"

"That would be me!"

Pac fully woke to the sound of the voice, they turned and saw a clone of Dr. Genus. But he appeared different than all the others. He shaved his head for one, second his body marked with various scars and scratches. Hunter stood at the ready to fight, yet the clone snickered. "Oh no, save your strength, you will need it. I merely took you two since I know the rest of your family will come! As well as tested the stun setting needed to subdue your family."

"Our family… what do you want with our family!" demanded Hunter.

"In due time child, in due time. I hope you appreciate everything I have created here for you today. Thanks to my fallen brethren, I learned not to underestimate your power or that of your father's. You see, this is domed up, preventing your flight powers from being used as well to the extent of the esper powers. I made certain of that. Second, the walls are fortified. Third, the weapon I had tested and developed on you. You recall the exterminator?"

"That asshole! Yeah, what of it?" Hunter demanded.

"His weapon wasn't quite intended to kill, I made certain of that myself. Instead, I merely modified it to know how much force would be needed to stun and weaken the likes of you, and for one other purpose I will reveal soon enough." He paused and smiled. "I know of this for I am the one who funded his research!"

Pac suddenly kicked up off the ground. He turned and stood at the ready with his brother. "You're the asshole who hurt Snek!"

"I do owe Snek a debt of gratitude for his assistance in the research. By the way, you can call me 78." He began to approach the two fearlessly. "Let me say this, with what I discovered will change the world. But… I need every last member of your family to accomplish such a task, for you see. Just as my brothers before me. I have seen the future through your family!"

"Heard that shit before. You do realize what happened to your brothers?" demanded Pac.

"Yes, they sacrificed themselves for the greater cause. In doing so, I am able to continue on with the legacy and bring about our dream! Besides, they were clones as well, it not out of the realm of possibility to make more of them."

He continued to draw closer. Yet, before the brothers could decide on an attack, they heard the sound of something powering up. Looking about, they were surrounded by the other clones, using the same device the exterminator possessed, yet far more compact. "The sonic gun, the prefect weapon to be used for the cause I seek. I have made… adjustments to it, but, you won't know that until the rest of your family arrives…"

78 had taken Hunter's phone and made the call to Alley to lure her to his lab. Despite Hunter and Pac begging her not to come, they realized she would anyway, knowing they were there and the clone of Dr. Genus had them captive.

When he hung up the phone, Pac growled. "What makes you think we are going to wait for them to get here?" demanded Pac. Hunter stood back to back with his brother, both taking their stance as they began to observe those around themselves. "We got to do this fast and quick. There are too many to take out at once." Whispered Pac.

"We're not going to get them all are we?" Hunter questioned.

"No… but if mom and dad are coming, we are at least going to reduce the numbers."

"Oh children, you still don't understand the concept of the situation you are in. I don't want to harm you, at least not yet. I need you both to be this vigorous for the procedure! In any case…" 78 snapped his fingers. Hunter darted off as the weapons were fired. He memorized the sound of the blast, they were on the knock out setting!

"Never again…" he said to himself. Hunter attempted to do the torrent, take in as many of these clones and their weapons as possible and destroy them! He was able to take in 10 clones, 6 armed with the same weapon used to knock him out. As he gained enough momentum, Hunter launched himself into the torrent and took out the clones. He shattered their weapons before landing on his feet, yet, as he turned, he was struck once more! Hunter hit the wall hard, the world around him blurred once more just as he heard his brother Pac calling him… only to be struck down as well…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Something was wrong.

Melee felt it. Garou felt it too. Something was very, very wrong. Melee braced herself oddly; a chill went down her spine. "Pac… Hunter…" she whispered.

Garou began to growl lowly. "They haven't come back since yesterday. They tell us if they are going anywhere, Melee…"

"We need to go look for them!"

"Dad… something wrong?" asked Draven. He paused and stared at their faces oddly. They were concerned.

"Draven… I need you and Goliath to go and see Bang. I need you two to stay there until we get back. Understood?" said Garou.

"But… why? What's wrong? We can go with you! I want to go with you!"

"NO," scolded Melee. "You two are not ready, your father and I need to do this. Do as he says, go get your brother and go see Bang right now!" she ordered.

Draven pouted, his arms crossed as he firmly stomped his foot. "It's not fair!" he protested. "I want to go too!"

However, Goliath heard everything, he came out of his room and took hold of Draven's arm. "I heard Bang has candy." He whispered. Suddenly, the pout vanished. He turned to Goliath who gave a convincing nod. With that, the twins left the house and headed to the dojo.

Garou paused as he turned to Melee. "We are going to see Genus before we leave. I know his clones are behind this!"

She nodded in agreement.

The two flew to City W.

Garou was just over head of the shop when he froze in mid air. "Melee," he said. "I smell blood. Lots of blood."

She froze to the news, they came down and landed outside of the shop before heading in. Despite the place being closed, the front door remained unlocked. Melee then picked up on the smell of blood, it was coming from the basement. Garou turned to her and gave but a nod. He was ready to confront who or whatever was downstairs. He led the way, as the pungent odor of death filled his senses. "This isn't right," he said as he made his way down the stairs.

By the time he reached the bottom step, he saw it. Melee froze. "Oh God…" she whispered.

They lay in piles.

Clones of Dr. Genus lay in heaps before them, blooded and slaughtered. Garou slowly took in the sight before him. All these clones, and yet… Melee's focus turned to the corner of the room. There, he lingered. "I'm sorry you had to walk in on this." He explained.

Melee was about to say something until Garou blocked her. He kept her safely behind him. "You're not Dr. Genus either."

He smiled. "Amazing perception, that's not even your monster ability shining through is it?"

"Where is Dr. Genus?" Garou demanded.

"He's safe, we wouldn't dare harm the original in case more clones need to be made. After all, cloned material only stretches so far…" he looked about the basement to the fallen bodies. "In case you are wondering, I did this. Not the original. You see, they are interfering with my work!"

Melee suddenly went pale. "They were the ones helping Genus to stop you…" she whispered.

"Yes, such a shame, they all had wonderful potential, just… no guidance for it. But, I am glad you two came. It makes it all the more easier to capture you!"

Garou stood at the ready. Melee did as well. "Answer me this… do you have my sons?" he demanded.

The clone's smile grew. "Indeed I do!" then his phone went off. He checked it for but a moment and laughed. "I just secured your daughter, the martial artists… and now, the twins!"

Melee and Garou grew furious! She unleashed her family battle cry as Garou charged straight ahead! Neither one knew of the other clones hiding in the bodies of the slaughtered masses. Garou felt the strike come from behind. He was bashed into the wall, but shook it off. Melee too was struck, she was winded and a little dizzy, but stood on her own two feet once more.

"You sons of bitches!" she roared.

The clones adjusted the setting, they took aim again but Garou was too fast. Melee knew well enough to dodge the strike. They took out the clones that hid in the dead, but were once more struck from behind. This time, it was enough to knock Melee out on her feet.

Garou felt the world spin around him. A terrible case of vertigo followed as he could hardly stand on his feet. "You are persistent, I will give you that," the clone stated.

"I have heard of your ability to adjust and adapt, but never thought this would be possible for you to accomplish with a weapon like this! Still, Snek was very beneficial. We found the perfect setting to knock the rest of you out with. This opportunity gave me the chance to understand the setting I need for the likes of you!"

Garou tried to rally himself once more, he ran as fast as his legs would allow, but was struck once more. This time, the world went black around him…


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Snek knew what hit him, once more he was felled by the same damn weapon that took him out at the hands of the exterminator. But this time, it felt different. The blast was strong but it wasn't intended on the kill, the last one he knew was but why did someone hold back this time around?

He slowly came too, his laid face first in sand, before his eyes adjusted to the world once more. He wasn't alone either.

All around him lay the family of Garou, including the twins! Max and Suiryu were close by him, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling there was terrible about to happen. "Oh look, the first to wake is none other than the test subject who made this all possible!"

Shaking his head clear, Snek looked up and saw the clone 78 staring down at him, grinning from ear to ear. "Who the hell are you?" Snek demanded.

The clone merely smiled. "Perhaps your savior or perhaps your worst enemy? It all depends on you. But I am thrilled to see you are awake, you and your friends were are going to help me evolve the world!"

Slowly, Snek stood once more. Looking about he realized they were surrounded. There were clones everywhere, armed with the same damn device that took him out before. Yet they were more refined and compact. "What's this all about? Why do you have us here for?" he demanded.

Then, the rest of the family began to come too, all but Garou. "Rest assured, all your questions will be answered. But first thing is first." He snapped his fingers, three of the clones took aim at Garou and fired! He roared out in pain and agony, until he went limp and still!

"GAROU!" Snek shouted.

It forced the others to wake themselves. Max, Suiryu were the first to come too, followed by Melee and the kids. She froze at the sight of Garou lying still on the ground, she turned and glared at the clone before letting a demonic growl escape her throat. "Oh please, hold that energy for when we take it from you Miss. Brawler. I am more than aware of your family's power and rest assured I will put it to good use!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" demanded Max. "What power? What energy do you intend on taking?!"

"Monster bio energy!" 78 said with a sinister grin. "I have come to the conclusion that monster cells are too fickle. Miss Alley Brawler has also declared that her cure in itself is temperamental and won't work on everyone. So I have decided the next best option. Siphoning monster bio energy. One that has already altered human beings into perfect creature hybrids… mainly, the family of Garou and you!" 78 then smiled. "We will use that energy, and turn it on to the world. The family contains more than enough monster bio energy to change the population into perfect hybrids! We will evolve the world in a single blast!"

"You are going to suck the life force from us? You're already doing that by flapping your lips!" said Snek. "Like hell you are going to take my life for your cause!" Snek coiled him, with that he lunged towards 78 who quickly shot him with the weapon he possessed behind his back.

Snek braced for the blow, and yet, it felt different! He felt it all the way through his body, down to his core, but it shook him strangely. Snek felt as if something were pulled straight out of his body. He felt and hit the ground hard multiple times. His body skipped along the sands as each hit became less and less intense. Eventually he came to a rolling stop, for a moment he thought it was the end. However, he could still feel his hands, his body wasn't in that much pain, movement was still possible! Granted, he was a little dizzy and sore, but knew he could get up again. Slowly he pushed himself up off the ground, preparing himself for another round, when his head began to tingle and surge with a strange feeling, a connection that hasn't been made in two years began to return. He felt numbness from the waist down, but then, sensation.

Snek froze, slowly. He stared down himself. There wasn't a serpent tail, but two human legs! He stumbled back at the sight, but then realized he was moving his legs in that moment of shock. The serpent skin became his battle suit once again. It was still intact! He then noticed his hands. They were human too. He began to feel his face and felt the soft, supple flesh once more. Snek began to tremble, tears soon flowed from his eyes. His arms wrapped around his own body as he cried even harder than before. He shook his head in disbelief.

The nightmare was over.

"I'm me…" he whispered.

"Snake?" he turned and saw Goliath and Draven stare at him, bewildered to the sight of their friend. "Is that… what you really look like?" Goliath asked.

"I'm… I'm human!" he wept. "I'm really human…"

"Indeed. Since you have not been a monster for a long time, nor have you turned to the extent of Garou and his family, it renders you back to human. How fortunate for you." Then 78's sights turned to Garou's family. "But as for you…."

78 took aim, his sights set in Garou!

Snek gasped as the trigger was pulled. Melee however reached into her shoe and threw a projectile right at the weapon. She threw a small shuriken right into the tip of the weapon, forcing it to overload. 78 was force to throw it away from himself before it burst! She stood once more. "Kids… get out of here, NOW" she ordered.

Snek got to his feet once more, he took a moment to adjust himself but eventually regained his balance. "Come on, you heard your mother!" he said. "Max, Suiryu!"

The two however remained. "GO! We'll bid you time!" said Suiryu.

Snek began looking about, there were so many clones. However, he noticed that one by one they were being struck. Their weapons blew up in their hands. Melee came packing! She used her projectiles and took aim for the weapons. Yet, more clones were pouring out of the building! "Take out the mother, take out Garou at the same time. These two cannot be at full strength!" 78 ordered.

The kids were quick to make their way to Snek as he looked about. "Can you break the walls?" he asked.

Hunter and Pac took a stance, they tried the dragon slayer iron fist technique, they could crack it! None of the kids were at full strength, that wall should have given way from one blow! Alley followed up with a hard strike to the crack, farther damaging it. Goliath and Draven then lined up their shot, combining their strength they broke the wall! "GO!" Snek insisted. Just as Alley was about to go through the hole, they were all struck from behind.

Snek was buffered from the blow thanks to the twin standing behind him, he turned and saw a small army of the clones armed with the damn weapon. He witnessed Max get blown to the wall near by him, at the same time, the metal scales he possessed burst off his body. He was rendered human once more! "No… not now… not now!" Max said.

Suiryu was doing damage, he took out a great amount of clones before he too was struck and his monster strength was taken away. He flew up into the air only to hit the ground rather hard just before Snek.

Then, another blast was sent his way. Snek felt none of it, but he saw the children of Garou scream in utter agony! He watched helplessly as their energy was drawn out of their bodies. They were reduced to husks of their former selves! "NO!" He went to each of them, checking to see if they were still alive. They breathed, but couldn't move.

"Snake…" whispered Goliath. "It… hurts… I'm so… cold"

"WHAT DID YOU DO!" Snek roared.

78 laughed. "As I said. You three weren't monsters to begin with, only partly turned which allowed you to return to your human forms. The children… were never human to begin with. They will remain in that state until one of two things happen. The energy is returned… or used. When it is used, they will no longer be able to survive…"

He then heard a god awful shriek of pain, and a howling of agony. Snek turned and saw Melee and Garou were taken of their monster energy as well. Melee was still trying to stand, Garou too. Despite the punishment he had taken, he refused to yield! Slowly, Garou stood on his own two feet. Melee as well. "Such fight in these two, it helps when they themselves were once human, but, due to their genetic altercation. They lost the ability to turn back when we take their energy. Still, to see them stand is nothing short of amazing…"

They hobbled like zombies, unable to fully coordinate themselves, but still, they gave it their all! Garou somehow found the strength to do one desperate charge at 78. Yet he was quickly struck down. Melee was blasted to be safe than sorry by the other clones.

It left Max, Snek and Suiryu standing. The three turned to each other and gave but a nod. Snek stood, adjusting his tie for the first time in two years. He prepared for a fight. 78 however snickered at him. "Really? We know all about you Snek. Do you truly believe that you can stop the likes of me?"

"Don't know if I don't try now." Snek took his stance, as did Max. Suiryu stretched himself out before their sights set on 78. "Let's do this, Class A Style!" said Snek.

Snek and Max decided now was the time to strike. The two charged as fast as they could towards 78, they came within striking distance when once more. They were struck. Another clone came out of hiding and hit them with the sonic weapon. It took nothing from them, yet the pain it cause was enough to keep them down.

Suiryu refused to be taken out that way. There were clones everywhere, nearly impossible to strike all at once. If he did a ground attack, he could harm Garou and his family. If he took to the air, he would he trapped as well. There was no move he could make, no strike that would make a difference.

"Ah, you see it now, don't you?" 78 laughed. "You have nothing! We have you surrounded, if one of us doesn't hit you… we may hit your friends or the family that cannot move. What are you going to do?"

Suiryu refused to concede. He took his stance as he was about to make a strike, however, he froze as Snek yelled aloud.

"Give up!"

"What?" demanded Max and Suiryu.

Slowly, he stood to his feet. Snek was battered and bloodied but he stood. "I give up! We can't win!"

78 laughed. "Ah, a hero with brains, that's rare now a days isn't it?"

Snek cleared the blood from his lip and spat out what accumulated in his mouth. Despite his wounds he tried to stand strongly before the clone and his legions. "But, I do have one request. Just honor it!" he said.

It intrigued 78's interest. "I'm listening,"

Snek limped forward. "Whatever the hell you plan on doing, whatever you are using that… shit for. Make me a promise here and now..." he said, then paused as he stood as tall and proud as he could. "You won't turn me again!"

"What?" demanded Max.

"You heard me, keep that monster shit out of me, I don't care. But promise, that won't come back to haunt me. Whatever plan you got for it, just make certain that I never become that monstrosity again! I won't stand in your way. In fact, I'll even help you if you promise me immunity!"

"SNEK!" demanded Suiryu. "You are going to turn your back on them, on US!" he demanded. "They took you in when no one else would. They taught you how to live and survive as a half monster… and you will let them die, so you can be human again!?"

"You… you don't know what hell I endured!" Snek snapped back. "Have you the slightest idea how embarrassed I was? How humiliating it is to be the only one out of you three that was more monster than a human being? I couldn't go very far in my condition. I had to depend on others to take me where I needed to go. I couldn't eat normal food like you and Max. I couldn't do a goddamn thing on my own! Now… I can… I have everything I want again. I have my legs back, I have my life back!" he said. "You don't know how much I suffered, I won't be going back to it!"

"You son of a bitch!" growled Max. He stood to strike Snek down, but he was too fast and hit Max hard! He slumped to the wall and was out cold.

He turned back to 78. "Do we have a deal?"

78 grinned. "Of course, but you need to come inside so you won't be affected. As for you…" Suiryu was struck from behind, the blow was powerful enough to knock him out…


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Garou and his family were down. Max and Suiryu were knocked out cold. Snek stood there and just stared at the fallen all around him. 78 was still uncertain to his motives, yet curiosity appeared to have got the better of him. "I want you to prove yourself to me, here and now. Kill one of these heroes." He said.

Snek looked about, but a disinterested look came over him. "Nah," he said. "I do that, I take out test subjects for you. What if your plan doesn't go accordingly? Are you not going to need humans to test on?" he asked.

78 was surprised. "You are far more clever than I figured." 78 paused though. "What makes you think I won't turn on you and use you as a test subject as well?" he asked.

Snek smiled. "You can do your worst to me, I've already been and lived in hell."

78 smiled back. "Very well. Help us bring everyone inside to the containment unit," Snek did so without question. He grabbed Alley and dragged her into the massive lab.

Within were two units made by what appeared to be plexi glass. "You think that's going to hold them?" Snek asked.

78 snickered. "Oh this is no ordinary plastic. This can withstand monster attacks! It will contain Garou and his family in their weakened states, as for the martial artists it will be more than sufficient." 78 and the other clones placed Garou and his family into one unit. Suiryu and Max into the other.

"I got a favor to ask. Do you guys have a shower here? I haven't had one in years! For that matter, how about a place to clean this suit of mine? I want to look my best before you bring about this evolution to the world! Oh and something to eat… something savory and with taste!"

78 smirked. "You are not shy with requests are you?"

Snek laughed. "Try moving about with nothing more than a slither for two years, eat monsters in that time frame and being too big to take a damn shower!" he snapped back, but then smiled to 78. "I just became human again, wouldn't you want to live it up a bit after being deprived for so long?" 78 didn't argue his requests, so he began to guide Snek down into the lab; there was a shower room! "Leave your suit with us… is there anything you wish to tell us about your clothing?" he questioned.

"Yeah, don't ruin it! Dry clean only." Snek was quick to strip himself, and it felt amazing! It was weird to even think about it, but he could strip himself naked and know there was actual human skin under what he was wearing. Before going into the shower, he kept staring into the mirror to marvel at his legs. He toyed with his feet, wiggled his toes and just used his legs with great enjoyment. With the reunion done, Snek was quick to rush to the shower. A chill when through him as his feet felt the tiles. Everything he stepped upon was like a new sensation he hadn't experienced in ages!

He not longer felt the heartbeats, pulses or footsteps of those who walked the same ground he was on, he just felt hot and cold on the soles of his feet.

He turned the knobs for the water, at first he jumped but adjusted to the heat. His body needed a good cleansing, two years was far too long for someone to go without bathing! Before, there was nowhere he could fit, let alone enjoy the steam of water. He was too long to wash every inch of his body; he couldn't enjoy the quite moment of a cleansing shower as the droplets cascaded over a small portion his scales. But that was in the past now. He must have washed his hair six times, also scrubbed himself down at least twice and exfoliated his skin.

Snek was human and he was going every moment of it!

When he finished, he found a robe waiting for him. His suit wasn't done yet, so he wondered back to the main part of the lab. The clones were going through every pocket and found various items. "Mr. Snek, what are these?" questioned one clone.

He smirked. "Well my wallet and keys for one, no wonder I always that those lumpy spots on my body. Second there is a pack of gum, the little device is actually Alley's hand held computer I took off of her before she got contained…"

"Wait, this little thing? A computer?!" they demanded.

"Yeah, well she won't be needing it. Let 78 have it, it plays music too."

The clones were intrigued by the little device but nodded, however there was a look of skepticism on their faces. "You do it. You give it to him!" said one.

Snek shrugged. "Okay. Can I get a strip of that gum though? I haven't had that stuff in years! I couldn't before with those goddamn fangs I had." They obliged and gave him the pack. Without hesitation Snek popped a strip into his mouth and savored it. "My God, you have no idea how much you miss something when you are deprived of it. Okay, I'll go give this to 78, make sure that suit is dry-cleaned! Whoever cooks here too, I need a good meal!" he continued on as he finished with his gum, Snek didn't quite have a place to put it, so he stuck it on the wall by against the security key pad.

"Hey! 78, got something for you!" he called.

Snek walked by and noticed Garou trying to stand once more. Never has he seen him in such a weakened state, yet each time he tried, he collapsed again. "You said something Mr. Snek?" called 78.

Peering up, there was a small tower where 78 looked over every inch of the lab. Snek nodded as he showed him Alley's little computer. "Thought you would want this. Alley Brawler made this hand held computer, powerful little sucker. I figured it would be best if left in your hands."

"Bring it up to me!"

Snek shrugged as he took the stairs up, the top of the tower held the most powerful equipment he had ever seen! "Nice set up, internet access must be amazing!"

"Don't be a fool, this is the most powerful computer in the world! I have access to everything at my fingertips! I have built this all myself, but I must admit. Most of this equipment is stolen from Metal Knight's factories."

"Still not bad. Oh, here's that computer thing. I got no need for it. I also figured it would be better in your hands than hers"

78 took the device yet appeared to be a little skeptical of it, just like the clones. There was nothing to it though, no wires, no other compartments, it appeared solid for the most part. "Interesting little contraption. I will have some use for it eventually." He placed it on the control panel for the time being. 78 then turned and stared at Snek oddly. "I am rather surprised at your willingness to turn on these heroes and the family that took you in… why?" he asked.

A sneer came over him. "They wanted me to accept the fact that as a monster or whatever the hell I was, I was a lot stronger. That maybe true, but it wasn't what I wanted for me." Snek sneered. "I had a feeling Alley was holding out on me, she stopped working on the idea of a cure, which would explain why the family tried to get me to be more accepting of what I am!" he shook his head at the thought of it all.

"I was a Class A hero! It got taken from me because I became that thing! Do you know what it's like having to eat everything whole? Knowing it was alive just a moment ago and you had to strangle the air out of it? It's not pleasant to say the least. It was also embarrassing; everyone knew when I ate something. It wasn't the least bit befitting of a hero of my status! I'm proud of my look damn it, I don't like to be embarrassed when I don't appear proper."

"Interesting… so what will you do in the new world?"

He smirked. "First, I am going to take up some sort of dancing lessons, then, play a game of soccer or two, basically any sport involving feet!"

78 laughed. "Your legs meant everything to you."

"Not just my legs, my whole hero career meant everything to me! With everyone changing, I will be the only hero left!" Snek paused for a moment. "I am curious to something. If we are evolving the world, yet not evolving ourselves, how will be rule the people?" he questioned.

78 laughed. "Simple dear boy, it will be just how you felt when you were turned. The urge and wish to become human again will be felt by all who are changed, they will latch on to what scrap of humanity they find, including those unaltered in hopes that they themselves will be 'cured'. Since we are what they seek, we will be the ones admired, adored and worshiped!"

"Ah, I see, just like how I feel about getting something to eat, you don't know what you have until it's gone, right?" he said with a smirk. "Clever."

"Indeed." 78 turned back to his work. "I'll let you be on your way, your suit should almost be ready for you. And I do believe I have arranged a nice hot meal for you as well."

"About damn time, I'm starving and getting a draft!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It was perfect.

Before he placed his suit on, Snek sat down to a savory meal. One of the clones happened to have whipped up a medium rare steak with all the trimmings, gravy to die for, mashed potatoes that were perfectly fluffy and savory with steamed veggies. He savored every morsel of food and kept raving about it. "You do a damn good steak!" he announced. "My GOD! Even the toast on the side is damn delicious!" he took his time and ate every scrap before him.

He finished eating and decided to shower once more for the pure hell of it. After, he was ready for his suit. Snek saw it waiting for him, hanging outside of the shower door. He savored the look of it, how the snakeskin suit was no longer part of him and off his body. "Hello old friend." He said with a grin.

His suit was the cleanest it has ever been, it smelt fresh and Snek couldn't be happier. Despite the years where it was his skin, it was no worst for wear. He had everything in place, his suit and himself were cleaned to perfection. Shoes polish, Snek was well fed and everything just felt… right. He stopped and looked in the mirror marveling at his reflection, and ensuring everything was buttoned up to his liking. He went as far as practicing his old moves before the mirror. Every strike, stance and pose was perfect in his mind. He still has it!

He walked out of the rooms shortly after, fastened the buttons on his jacket, adjusting his tie and straightening his suit once more. There, the clones were waiting for him. "Nice job fellas!" he said. "I look great!"

"Now, you need to come with us. It's all about to begin!"

With everything ready, Snek followed the clones out while he popped another piece of gum into his mouth. He offered it to the clones that simply refused. "More for me then." As he walked into the main lab once more, Snek saw Suiryu and Max had finally come too! He approached their unit before tapping the plastic. "About damn time you got up!" he said.

Suiryu threw himself at the glass, trying to break it with his fists and moves, yet despite his best attempt, the plastic was too strong. He managed to move it slightly, but it continued to hold him and Max in. "You piece of shit!" roared Suiryu.

Snek however smirked. "Wasn't there something you told me a few years back, at the martial arts tournament about me being a hero?" he said off handedly. "Hold that thought. HEY 78!" Snek called.

"What is it? I am nearly done with the coding!"

"I got a question for you. Is there anyway this thing can backfire? I mean, what are the odd of this plan not working? What could go wrong?" he asked.

78 laughed aloud. "Oh dear boy! There is no way this can fail!" he stated. "One would have to hack the system and reverse the polarity! It would send the bio energy back to the source, which would be you, your former friends and the family of Garou. But there are only very few minds in this world capable of that! One is contained in the unit next to you. The other, dare I say is Child Emperor. But he cannot fathom what is happening; he doesn't know what is going on here. Therefore, this failing is impossible!"

Snek smirked. He took out his gum and stuck it on a control panel near by. "Perfect," then he turned back to Suiryu. "Remember when you confronted me about being a hero, why was I one? What difference does it make?" he paused. "I finally realized you were right, I didn't make a damn difference! So, with that being said, I have gone into business for myself. Now… if you are still looking to become a hero, here's some advice. Rule 1, know when you are in over your head!"

"YOU COCK SUCKING SON OF A BITCH! YOU SOLD US OUT FOR YOUR OWN TWO LEGS!" shouted Suiryu.

"That's bullshit Snek!" said Max. He kept himself seated on the ground, refusing to even look at him for what he had done. "So that's it? Know when you're in over your head, then give up?" demanded Lightning Max.

"No you idiot," scolded Snek. "Rule 2. Know what's going to be your best option, cut the best deal for yourself!"

Max shook his head. "You were a great hero, now look at you. I wouldn't even dignify you with eye contact! You know… when this all happened, out of the three of us… I thought you were the strongest."

Snek snorted. "Do you have any idea what kind of HELL I want through?" he demanded of Max.

"No, you didn't. Unlike you and pretty boy here. I didn't get the luxury of being able to come and go as I pleased, I wasn't able to eat normal food like you two could. I couldn't go anywhere without people REALLY staring at me, wondering, thinking and some insulting me with the thought of making me into snake skin products!" Snek then glared at Suiryu. "You think I'm the asshole here? Not one of you, ever asked me if I wanted to hang out. You never came with me to hunt, you never included me in your actives unless Garou said so… Out of the three of us, I was the most miserable because unlike you two. The only human thing about me was my face, my hair and my arms! That's it! And really, do you think I could have been an M Class Dragon? I was a damn snake! I had no special skills, nothing that would make me a serious threat to the world let alone other monsters!"

"You are going to let the family that took you in… die so you could be human again?" demanded Max.

Snek smirked. "I got my life back. It's all I ever wanted."

"ASSHOLE!"

From the other unit, Garou finally stood under his own power. "YOU GODDAMN ASSHOLE!"

Snek wondered over to the unit, Garou was in rough shape. The serpents on his body were shriveled up and appeared that one strike would shatter them off his figure. His whole family appeared to be drying up before his eyes. "We… helped you!" Garou said slowly, but he was growing weaker by the second.

"No, you didn't help me." Snek snapped back. "You tried to have me accept being that thing. No, that's just brushing the issue under the rug. 78 did something your family could never do. Make me human again."

"Garou…" Snek watched as Garou tore away from the glass as Melee called to him. He fell to his knees in weakness as he tried to embrace her. "Garou… keep them together…"

Looking about, he found the children were separated. With the last of his strength be brought them all close to him and Melee. They shivered and whimpered. "I don't want to go like this," said Pac.

"None of us want to die like this," said Alley.

"We won't die!" Garou said defiantly. "We can beat death and I have done so time and time again! You are my kids. This… this is nothing! You are all strong, strong like me, we can survive…" he said.

"Oh shut up with that!" growled Snek as be banged the glass with his hand. "It's over give it up!

78 then announced he finished with the code. "It is ready. We need to have everything set up and prepared. To your stations! Snek, I shall grant you the honor of turning the control panel besides you on. Siphon off what remains of their bio energy for our cause. Let the world evolve before use, and we will be its kings!"

Snek nodded. "So, this process is going to kill them, isn't it?" he asked aloud.

"The sacrifice of the few for the greater evolution!" 78 announced.

"Just making sure."

The clones took to their stations. One wheeled out a large canister that contained the monster bio energy, it was hooked up to the main computer 78 was controlling. "Disabling fail safe of bio energy!" the clone announced. It hit a switch, with the energy hooked up to the main computer; the containment fail-safe unit was shut down. Every machine began to hum and turn on. Snek turned and saw with what strength Garou possessed, he brought his family in close. He lay on top of them, hoping to take the brunt of whatever is left to come. "Mr. Snek! Turn on your control panel! The five switches that are side by side and then the red button!" 78 called.

He wondered over. Slowly, he flipped each of the switches, yet as he did, he saw Goliath staring at him. "Snake?" he said weakly.

Snek merely smirked to him. The final switch was flipped, and then he pressed the button…


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The machines turned on and came to life. The clones were celebrating as the code began to fill the computer screen. "Victory gentlemen! Victory at last!" 78 laughed aloud to it all and watched lines upon line of code fill the screen. Yet, his victorious laugh came to an abrupt halt.

"Ruff, ruff!"

The sound made every clone pause in the warehouse, the code that filled the screen was suddenly eaten by a digital dog… only to have it defecate the code out of itself.

"What is this!" demanded 78.

All the clones were suddenly drawn to their own units, finding something terribly wrong. "What… no! No, no, no, no!" Suddenly the room was beginning to panic. They began to work feverishly as the code they had place was deleted and replaced with another.

Snek remained rather calm as it all went down. The clones worked feverishly at the control units, Snek noticed that they were all distracted. He looked about and even found something of use, a fire ax. Taking it out of place, he began to walk casually with it, towards the container of the monster bio energy rather calmly. No one really paid any attention to him, let alone see what was in his hand until it was too late. He looked at the fire ax and then the container that held the monster bio energy. With a nod to himself he raised the ax up over his head. One strike of the cord, severed the unit's connection to the main computer! The electric shock threw Snek back. Every clone froze as the line was severed; the sparks flew as the containment unit began to send out warning signals. There was nowhere for the energy to go and the unit was taken off it's failsafe. A small surge escaped, Snek cringed as he felt it… his right arm went numb, the suit no longer felt like a suit… but his own skin once again.

"WHAT!" roared 78. Peering down he saw Snek by the severed power cord. "TRAITOR!"

Snek smirked, despite the pain he was in, he continued to smile and brace his right arm. "My hand slipped"

78 appeared to be in disbelief. "You… you sabotaged my plan! How... How is that even possible! You were in front of me this whole time! How could you have ruined it!"

"Oh, that wasn't me. That was all you!" Snek smirked as he turned to Suiryu who began to stare at him in disbelief, same with Max.

"Rule 3 boys… know when to ask for help when you are in over your head." Snek smirked as he looked up to 78.

"The gum I've been chewing is Alley nano tech gum. I placed one by your security keypad, which allowed access to your security systems camera, audio and all. The other I have placed on your control panels. That little computer I had your take off of me, it synced your computer to Alley's back at her lab." He paused and nudged his head to the security cameras. "The moment those systems connected, the cameras broadcasted to Child Emperor's lab. When you said how to reverse this… he got started… which is why I went around and made it appear that I was toying with everyone here… You didn't HAVE to tell me that if you got hacked and someone reversed the polarity it would bust the plan… but you did!"

78 shook his head. He refused to believe a former A Class Hero outsmarted him!

"You said you wanted to be human more than anything. You are going to throw that away for them?" 78 demanded.

Snek turned to Garou and his family. "Yeah… I am." He bit his lip trying to fight off the growing agony in his body. "Besides, legs are overrated." Sparks began to fly, the containment unit began to surge and crack. There was nothing connected to it, the energy within has nowhere to go but out. Snek emptied his suit pockets and then turned to 78 once more and said. "I much rather be a man with a serpent body, than an asshole with legs."

The unit burst. The clones near by were thrown back as the surge went through the lab. Snek was thrown up off his feet! He hit the wall hard, but was felt everything burn, just like the last time. The fire like sensation spread throughout his body, he screamed out in agony as he felt his bones shift and break under his skin. The pain was nearly too much to bear, but he had to endure. This time he kept himself conscious. He felt the numbness returned from the waist down. He felt his legs vanish and melt together as the serpent tail form. He felt his human skin peel off and replace with the same scales that made his suit…


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Max couldn't believe it.

Even he fell for Snek's plan! But there was no time to marvel or savor the victory. Max felt himself turning once more. His body stung in pain, it spread across his body as his skin began to split. The flesh cracked and broke as metallic plated scales tear through and took over once more. He felt the tentacle appendages reform at his waist, the surge of electricity soon followed. Lightning Max got his Lightning back!

Suiryu unleashed a demonic roar as he regained his monster features. Looking to his hands, he clenched them proudly, it was time to test them out. Despite his renewed strength, he still couldn't blast open the door. Max however got an idea. "Suiryu! Spin me!" he said.

With a grin, Suiryu grabbed on to Max's arms and began to spin him, faster, faster, and faster! Electricity began to fill the containment unit, until it affected the locks. He let go of Max who unleashed the power he gathered, the containment unit shorted out. One punch from Suiryu and door burst open!

Suiryu was the first one out, quickly he took down the clones who attempted to arm themselves. Max used his tentacles on the control panel and siphons all the power he could before unleashing the surge to the containment unit that held Garou and his family. The door burst open and he rushed in. "Garou? Melee? Kids?!"

They were still weak as the color returned to their skins. They felt cold to the touch but they breathed. Suddenly, the computers began to short circuit. The panels began to burst, the equipment sparked and exploded! Snek had just finished turning when he realized what was going on. "This place is gonna blow!"

Suiryu rushed to Max's side, they started gathering up the family. Snek joined them and urged the two to place everyone they can on to his back. He took Garou, Pac, Hunter, Goliath and Draven. Suiryu got Alley, Max got Melee. "Let's go!" Snek called.

The building was falling down around them, each and every turn there were explosions from the equipment, fire from the sparks and tremors from the building collapsing. The three martial artists just cleared the doorway when it all came crashing down around them! Suiryu charged on ahead towards the wall the kids were trying to break down earlier. One strike from him, brought the whole wall down! They got a good distance away as the building blew, the walls collapsed as the structure was reduced to rubble. Max kept looking back, but suddenly found himself staring at Snek.

"Shit!" was the first words out of his mouth. "You planned this… all this?"

Snek smirked. "No, I pulled this out of my ass!"

Suiryu shook his head. "I seriously thought you had turned on all of us for the sake of your legs."

"Rule 4 on being a hero, kid, have a damn good poker face. You cannot let anyone or anything see that you are scared out of your wits!" Snek signed as he placed the boys on to the ground. Snek shook his head to it all. "How could I let someone… a whole family parish just so I could be human?" he said. "I got to admit though, it was nice while it lasted." Snek turned to the family. "How are they?"

Max checked their pulses and nodded. "Stable, no doubt their body is in shock." Garou's was getting stronger. Everyone else's will take time. The lab continued to collapse and burn, Max saw someone emerging from the building. 78 survived the whole exploding, however, he was coming right for them.

78's eyes were full of rage, he was clenching his left arm. No doubt it was broke as the blood cascaded down his face. All the while 78 glared at Snek. "YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!"

Snek wasn't the least bit concerned to him. "It's all gone… everything I have ever worked for… lost… the technology, the papers, my clones, the tests… ALL OF IT!" He began to stumble, the blood loss was starting to catch up to him. "I swear to you, I will seek my vengeance. I will not stop until you suffer for what you have caused me. I will…" Snek had enough, he coiled around 78 and began to squeeze.

"No… I SWEAR… you will never come after us again, you will never harm this family anymore. Your testing days are over… so are you!" Snek gave a firm squeeze before the clone went limp in his coil, he wasn't dead, just had the air knocked out of him.

"What do we do with him?" asked Max.

Snek paused as he turned to the two. "No one can know about this. I am not risking this jackass getting out, cloning himself with all his memories intact…" Snek sighed. "Don't judge me for this." His mouth opened, Snek was about to swallow the clone when he noticed Garou's tail starting to move. He paused for a moment as it turned to him, licking its lips. Snek nodded as he aimed the clone, head first towards the limb. It took its time, but the tail was able to widen its mouth. Slow it began to swallow the clone, just as it regained consciousness! However, the tail refused to let up and finished what it started. The clone consumed, yet vanished within ten minutes.

"Well that solves that… Now, how the hell are we going to get back home?" said Snek.

They stood in the middle of nowhere. "I guess we are going to have to find our own way back…" said Max.

"Ah hem!"

Turning skyward, she stood with her arms crossed and an unimpressive look on her face. Tatsumaki! "If you are quite done, I don't have time to wait here all night for you to figure out what the hell you are going to do next! You would die out here without me! Come on you freaks!" Everyone turned turn green as they were lifted off the ground. They made it back to City Z in no time, back to the house of Garou.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

They entered the house, but were not alone. Awaiting the three martial artists were Bang, Metal Bat and Zenko. "PAC!" cried Zenko.

"He'll be okay, at least I hope." Said Snek. "We got to get them to their rooms." Everyone helped however they could. The children were the first to be settled in, then Melee and Garou. From there Bang made a call to the association to bring the best doctors they had. They arrived within the hour, checking the vitals of the family and hooking them up with IVs. "What on earth happened to them?" questioned on doctor.

"Got their life force sucked out of them," explained Max. "Someone figured out how take their monster bio energy out of their bodies. They were going to use it to turn the world. They took ours too!"

"What?" demanded Metal Bat. "How can they do that?"

"Don't know, but I had my legs back for a while," said Snek, he smiled for a moment to the thought. "It was rather nice."

"Shit, I'm sorry man." Said Bat.

"I'm not." He replied, but then remembered something. "Son of a bitch I left my wallet and keys at that damn lab!"

"Go back for them later, we got other matters to attend to!" said Silverfang.

They stayed up all night checking the family over. Slowly they began to recover again. Hunter and Pac lost their coiled serpents from the incident, but it was temporary. No doubt they will be growing back in due time. Bang bandaged up the brothers, their flesh was blistering from the event. Garou was just starting to heal, Melee's scales began to regrow once more.

With nothing more that could be done, Max insisted to the others that he; Snek and Suiryu would take over. "Thank you, everyone for helping. We got this."

The association doctors would be back every other day to check the IV drips.

As the heroes left, Max Suiryu and Snek sat at the table, taking deep breaths and sighing out with relief, it was over!

Despite everything they went through, no one wanted to say a word to each other.

It would be the third day when the question was asked, Suiryu understood Snek's plan, yet there was something troubling him. "Snek… about what you said to get 78 to believe you were serious…" he paused. "You were serious, weren't you?"

Snek fell silent before he gave a sigh. "I vented every frustration I had about this form, yeah, I was serious about it. It was what bothered me when I first became this. It still does, but… I've come to accept that."

"Snek… I'm sorry, we never asked you…"

"I never would have admitted to anything Max, come on!" Snek said, but then smirked. "I had the two of you going there didn't I?"

Max laughed and nodded. "I really thought you betrayed everyone for the sake of your own legs. I should have known better, you never would have done something like that, especially if it meant someone having to die for it."

"I really thought you went that crazy too," said Suiryu.

"I am not the least bit offended boys, I assure you. But I know, there was a part of me that considered it. There's always that darkness that would allow you to do terrible things for the sake of your own well being or satisfaction. But no, in the end, I would rather die than let any of them suffer for me. As I said before, legs are overrated."

"What did it feel like?" asked Max. "To have them… after not having them for so long?"

Snek took a moment. "It's like when your leg falls asleep and then when you step on it, a prickly sensation crawls up your spine all the way to your head," he explained. "Then, it's like riding a bike again."

"Damn," muttered Suiryu.

"I'm going to do my rounds," Snek slipped off as he went to check on the family. He checked Alley first. She was slowly getting there. The color returned to her face, her breathing settled and she was now sleeping comfortably. Pac and Hunter were still struggling themselves.

They breathed heavier than before, Snek remembered Melee telling him about the kids, if they had been in a fight and passed out before it ends, they will struggle as they attempt to rest and recover, for they still believe they are in midst of a battle. Normally, Garou would envelop them, and speak with them through the third eye. Snek didn't have that ability. Instead he would merely place a hand on their chest and whisper. "Hey, it's okay, you're home in your own bed. The fight is over." For a while it would calm them, they wouldn't shift about as much and the breathing became less laborious.

Next, he went to Melee and Garou. The two slept side by side, bracing one another. Neither one had moved from their position. Snek would just double check to ensure they were still breathing! They were and it was a resting breath.

Last but not least, the twins.

Snek knew there was only one way to ensure the twins would sleep easily. He kept them with him. After his rounds he would go in to his room and settle himself first. When comfortable, Snek would loop his body around the twins in a light coil. They appeared to know when he was there, they would embrace a part of him and nestle themselves. From there, Snek wouldn't move until the twins let go…


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

He lay there for days.

But then, he felt it. A slight, firm grasp comes to his side and the settle movements from the twins. The moaned out in pain, but they were coming too. Slowly, but surely, their eyes opened. "Snake?" whispered Draven.

"Hey kid… you finally woke up!" Draven moved a little, slowly tried to sit himself up, but lacked the strength. He looked about, but appeared confused. He would look to Snek, but then realize he was lying in his coils. "Huh? Where… where are your legs?" He said.

Goliath soon woke as well, realizing the same thing. "Snake… your legs!" protested Goliath. "Where are your legs?"

Snek smirked to the twins. "I think you two were seeing things. Come on, let's get some food into you. You must be starving!" He took the IV out of their arms. The twins were too weak to move on their own, so like old times, he placed them down the middle of his body and slithered them to the kitchen. Max and Suiryu have been cooking non stop for the past 24 hours. Sitting at the table were Hunter, Alley and Pac. They woke up just yesterday. "Goliath, Draven!" Hunter and Pac rushed to their brothers and took them to the table. "Eat little bros, eat!" said Hunter.

"Don't stop until you feel better, okay?" said Pac.

The two had to be spoon fed at first, but soon, they began to eat on their own.

The table was oddly silent as the kids kept looking at Snek oddly, there was a strange look on their faces. Snek didn't know if it was that if distrust or anger towards him for what he said when they were trapped. He knows they heard every word he said aloud, every bit of anger he projected towards the family and what he was as a half monster. His words were a slap to the face of their family and the hospitality for everything they did for him. He couldn't blame them the least bit for it. "I'm… going to go out for a little while," he announced.

"We'll go with you!" said Pac and Hunter.

A sense of dread began to fill him, yet he nodded in agreement as the brothers followed him out the door. He didn't say a word at first, Snek tried to find a way to explain himself to the brothers. When he figured it out, he turned. "I'm…"

Before he could speak, Hunter and Pac embraced him tightly. He was stunned by their actions, yet returned the hug. "Whoa, hey, what's this about?"

"We know what you gave up for us." Pac whispered. "Snek… You gave up everything!"

Snek laughed. "Not everything!" he said. "I just gave up what I didn't need. You think I would let your family die so I could be human again? I am not that big of an asshole you know!"

The brothers snickered. When they pulled away, Hunter cleared a tear from his eye. "I'm sorry we doubted you."

"Don't," Snek said. "Besides, it was that doubt that allowed this plan to work. I pulled that out of my ass!" Then his stomach roared. "Oh yeah, I haven't eaten in a while…"

Hunter's phone suddenly went off. "Ooo level demon threat in the area!"

"What are we waiting for!" said Pac.

#

It was a monster all right, a nice big one with multiple arms! Snek saw it and was already licking his lips, but he then noticed the hungry look in Pac and Hunter's eyes as well. He knows they have been eating since they woke up. Yet, he has never seen that look come over them before. It's just like Garou's hungry stare he gets before he devours a monster. Snek hung back and said. "You two take this one, I'll get the next."

The brother's froze. "What do you mean?" Pac said nervously.

"You know what I mean! You got the same look your dad does when he's ravenous. You are a lot hungrier than me, and this one is yours." The brothers froze, he knew their secret, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Hunter and Pac took down the multi-armed monster with great ease. It wasn't long before they began ripping off its limbs and swallowing them whole. He could tell the two were not comfortable with it, they were struggling with the feast until they couldn't bring themselves to eat any more of it. All that remained were a head, legs and torso. With the brothers full, Snek took the rest for himself.

It would be enough to keep him satisfied for the time being, however he was now concerned with the brothers. They took a moment to recover from the feast, both would fall to their knees and braced their bodies oddly. When finished, Pac and Hunter would break out into a sweat, the process was painful to them. "Are you okay?" Snek asked.

"It hurts… but we're okay." Pac explained. "Why is it hurting now? It didn't after we turned!"

"It probably because you are healing. Didn't you notice?" said Snek, he rolled up Pac's sleeves and saw his arms bounded in bandages. Bang's handy work no doubt, yet with care he cut away some of the bandages. Under them there were no scales or serpents to be found. "When your monster energy got sucked out of you, it pretty much killed off your dragon things. So, it's going to probably take time to regrow. Maybe that's the pain you are feeling now."

Pac couldn't believe his eyes. "I… look normal!"

"For now, yes." Said Snek. "Personally, I think scales suit you!" he then appeared to puff himself out rather proudly. "Not everyone can pull this look off you know!"

Pac smiles as did Hunter. "Let's head back. Maybe your parents will be up by now."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The twins finally finished.

Both were full and content, and yet, they appeared troubled. "Snake had his legs back." Goliath announced. "What happened to Snake's legs?"

Max and Suiryu exchanged a look between each other, they didn't know how to explain it. Max wanted to say something, but couldn't. Alley looked to her brothers and said. "He didn't want them anymore."

Goliath paused and thought it over. "No… he did… he cried when he got them back. He was so happy too, I remember that much," he said. "Why doesn't he have them anymore?"

Alley tried to find the words for him, however Snek returned with Pac and Hunter. He slithered in and noticed the look of confusion on Goliath's face, Draven then stared at him with the same look, and they looked at his tail and then back at him. "The bad man didn't take them away again, did he?" asked Goliath.

Snek sighed. "No, I did." He said. "As happy as I was to have them back, in doing so, your family got hurt. It wasn't a fair trade."

"But, you wanted them back, so badly. I remember Snake, you said you missed them!" Goliath paused. "I never saw you so happy before..."

"Goliath, let me say this. The price was too high." Snek explained. "Your family got hurt so I could have my legs, I don't want that to happen. I never want anyone to be harmed just so I can have feet once more. It's okay though. I don't mind being like this"

Goliath had this look on his face, one that made Snek concerned. "You are a terrible liar." He said.

"I thought he was pretty convincing…"

The room turned and saw Garou. "Dad!" the kids cried and rushed to him. They clung to their father and refused to let go. "Dad… you're okay!"

"Not so tight please, ow, ow, ow!" The kid let him go, Garou limped to the table before turning to Snek.

There was a look of anger on his face. Snek knew it too. "I know you got some choice words for me right now." He then paused. "I can pack up…"

"What the hell were you thinking? That was the biggest and dumbest risk I have ever seen someone like you take!" Garou said with a snarl. Then, his look lightened, his eyes looked about as he saw his children standing beside him. "But… you saved us."

"It's what heroes do." Snek replied. "Look, I don't know about you. But I rather forget the whole thing ever happened. That place gave me the creeps to begin with…"

"Snek…" Garou said. "You gave up a lot for us, I know how much…"

"Save it." Snek snapped back. "I said before, I didn't give up a damn thing. Like hell I would let you and your family die for what, me walking on two feet again? Not to mention what the hell would be the point of me being human and everyone else getting turned?"

Garou laughed, but stopped himself. It hurt to even chuckle.

"How's mom?" asked Pac.

"Getting there, knowing her, she will be up sooner than later." Said Garou.

He sat down at the table. Max and Suiryu fed him whatever was left in the kitchen, but knew it wouldn't be enough. Garou needed monster meat sooner than later.

Suddenly, the whole house shook! Snek paused. "That felt like a Dragon level monster body!" he said.

"What? What would one be doing this high up the mountain? Is it alive?" asked Garou.

"Nope, that bastard is dead…" Curious now, Snek looked out the window and saw Tatsumaki once more in the sky. In fact, there were piles of monster bodies not too far from the house! "Uh… someone has been hunting for you."

Garou barely had the strength to stand. Suiryu helped him outside where the pile of fallen beasts continued to build! Tatsumaki hovered over the pile, she turned her head up in disgust before glaring down at Garou. "Well what are you waiting for freak boy? I am not doing this forever!"

They helped Garou over to the pile; from there he devoured everything within his grasp. He would pause after each creature he consumed as he moaned and screamed in agony to his body healing. The serpents that didn't survive were molted and new ones took their place, his flesh began to shed as his body healed. He grew stronger and stronger after each feast. When none remained, Garou stood under his own power; with a stretch of his body he appeared no worst for wear! He tore off the dead serpents and scales and appeared nearly as good as new once more. "Damn, that is some healing ability!" said Max.

"You still wouldn't want it, trust me." Garou said with a smirk.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

1 week later.

"We have concluded that this division of the house of evolution has been destroyed, thanks to the quick work of the M Class Dragon, Snek. I must admit though, rather unorthodox and yet the results were the best we could hope for." Said Sitch.

The table paused and turned to Snek oddly who merely coiled at the table. "Honestly, I didn't think it was going to work!"

"Are you kidding me, it was brilliant! The gum, using Alley's computer and giving it to the head of the house of evolution! It was done perfectly!" proclaimed Child Emperor. "I do wish I had more notice on it though."

"You think I really had time to plan for all of that! Cut me a break kid!"

"If we can continue!" Sitch announced. He then brought up photos of the weapon they used against Garou and his family. "No one has seen this bio weapon before. We believe that the prototype was originally used by one known as the exterminator, merely testing its capabilities on the M Class as well as perhaps its other uses. From what we have been told it did extract the monster bio energy out of not just Garou and his family, but from Lightning Max, Suiryu and Snek, rendering them human again. We are currently developing this as the new cure for the three…"

"Don't bother."

The room paused as they heard Snek announcement. "I wouldn't want to take that risk. You make that damn thing, you got a whole new weapon to use against Garou's family. I saw those kids nearly die before my eyes, like hell I will let that happen again!"

"Snek, this is the only thing we have going right now to turn you three back to normal," protested Alley. "I will be the one making it…"

"And I am telling you don't bother!"

"Snek…"

"Look," he rose up and confronted the heroes at the table. "I saw the devastation that thing caused, I have seen what it can do. I have felt that used as a weapon merely to knock me unconscious. Don't make it!"

Silence befell the table. Alley turned to Sitch. "I will honor his request." She said.

Child Emperor then sighed. "He has a point, if someone were to take that thing and modify it, who can say what damage can be done or caused?"

Sitch then turned to Suiryu and Max. "What do you two say about this?"

There was a smirk on Max's face. "Honestly… I don't want to turn back."

"Oh but you had such cute features!" protested Puri-Puri Prisoner.

"That's part of the reason!" Max said with a smirk. "But seriously, I like the way I am. I don't mind being like this, I have done so much more than I could ever imagine!"

Suiryu rested his feet on the table and leaned back with a grin. "I'm not quite done having fun yet. When it stops being fun, I'll let you know!"

It was a surprise not just to Sitch, but everyone else. Garou included. "Be that as it may, I am still going to push the three of you harder to train!" he warned.

"Fine by us!" said Max.

The answers surprised Sitch to say the least. "This is highly unusual, we had made a vow to turn you back. The public is anticipating you three returning to your human selves again, yet, if this is what you wish. We will not stop or hinder your choice in the matter. You will remain as M Class Dragons as long as Garou and Melee see fit."

"And if they turn evil, I eat them!"

The three shuttered. "Thanks for that, made this all the worth while," Snek muttered sarcastically.

"We are aware though that this is but one branch of the house of evolution. We are also still in search of the remains of Lord Orochi and what is producing the monster cells. Our work is far from done here people. Be ready for anything, be prepared and share your intel as soon as you learn of something!" announced Sitch, "We are dismissed."

As Sitch left the room, the S Class stared at the M Class oddly. "Seriously? You rather be that than normal again? Are you crazy or something!" demanded Tatsumaki.

"Maybe a little," Snek said with a smirk. "Besides, you wouldn't really understand it. We got a good thing going here. Why blow it?"

"Good thing? What good thing? You're a snake!" said Zombieman.

"A damn good one!" Snek replied. "It's not that bad when you get use to it. Granted, I still got some kinks to work out of this, but other than that, it's manageable."

With that he slithered out of the room. "What the hell are you teaching him Freak boy!" demanded Tatsumaki.

Garou shrugged his shoulders. "This is his choice, not mine to make. Snek has gotten exceptionally strong in the time he has been with us, despite the downfalls of his form, he knows how much good he has and can do in the world. Who am I to tell him otherwise?" Still it felt strange to Garou too. He stood up and followed Snek out of the room.

"SNEK!"

He paused half way down the hall. "What?" he demanded.

"We need to talk, now!"

Snek appeared reluctant to speak any farther, however Garou would keep hounding him until he does. With a sigh, he nodded. They found a room to speak in private. From there Garou's arms crossed, Snek wouldn't even look at him. "I know you're a damn good liar, but this time, you slipped up. What the hell is wrong?"

Snek grimaced. "Despite the fact that I am a better hero like this than I was human. Despite the fact that the people respect me more as a snake than a man, I have taken down more monsters like this than ever before or ever could do if I were human? I mean, how could I even be a hero after if I get turned back to normal? What would be the point of me going back to being Biting Snake Fist Snek, if I can't even do half the damn things I am capable of doing now? THERE'S NO POINT!"

Garou knew it. He still wants to be normal again, but knows if he does become human, his hero career is practically over. "Do you have to be a hero?" Garou questioned. "Could you not start your own dojo, and teach your technique?"

"That isn't the point!" Snek snapped back. "I meant what I said in there. I nearly saw you and your family DIE right before my eyes. Your children… the twins… and I nearly couldn't stop it. How the hell I was able to pull that off I don't know. I really don't know how it all went down without a hitch. But a part of me knows, if anything had happened to your family that day… I would never have forgiven myself, I would never be a hero again." He paused. "Which is why I am doing this. If that thing got made, it's in the world, others will make it and use it against you. If that fell into the wrong hands we start this shit all over again. I won't go through it again!"

"It may already be out there. Snek remember. This is the house of evolution, they share their ideas and learn off of each other on what did and didn't work. They have that weapon lingering. I don't doubt it. As noble as your sacrifice maybe, know that it's not necessary."

Snek shook his head. "I won't take that risk. Besides, if those assholes still have that thing, you need every friend you got. You know I got your back now, right?"

Garou nodded. "And I got yours, Snek. There are no words I can say, the gratitude I have for you…"

"Save it, you're supposed to be Garou, the human monster. You don't express yourself like this." Snek then playfully slapped his chest. "Besides, this isn't all that bad of a gig. I outrank Sweet Mask, that in itself is worth it!"

"Be that as it may, I mean what I said that I will train you guys harder!"

He nodded. "Fine by me…" then his stomach rumbled. "After I eat something."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Hunter wondered the halls of the Heroes Association, waiting for his parents to finish up the meeting. He located his brothers in the cafeteria, yet found it strange for Goliath to be reading a rather large black book. He was about to go in and see for himself when someone took hold of his shoulder. He winched as the pain shot through him. "Not so hard!" he protested.

Slowly, he turned and saw Amai Mask smiling at him. Immediately he pulled himself away. "What the hell do you want?"

Amai grinned. "I came to congratulate you."

Hunter paused. "On what?"

Amai pulled up on his phone. Hunter peered at it and saw his rank. The Leviathan Prince, rank 5.

Not even Hunter could believe it. "Rank 5!?" he demanded. "How? This is impossible, I was Rank 40!"

"Your little run in with this house of evolution boosted your rank. You assisted in its take down… and survived its trap. So. You have been moved up this far in the rankings. Now your real test begins. How long can you hold it, and how will you get pass… them…" Amai turned to the cafeteria and saw the followers of Atomic Samurai sitting there having a meal. "You know, Genos became a class S for taking out the original house of evolution. Had you done it alone, no doubt you would have surpassed me by now. Still, you have reached the top, that brass ring is within reach. But how will you obtain it?"

Hunter began to think things over now. Despite the pain he was in, he knew now he has to keep up with the hard work. His body needed time to heal, but he couldn't afford to allow it, he will slip in ranks and start all over again in Class A. He turned and glared at Amai, who knew he was in rough shape. "I wonder what your master, Saitama will think of this, you just surpassed him in a single bound. He won't take kindly to it. Nor will the others in Class A!"

"You know Amai, there's an expression my mom likes to say. He who stirs the shit pot, licks the spoon!" he said. "I'll be at your level soon enough, I expect you to keep to our bet we made."

"What bet?" he said with a grin on his lips. "Only your father is the witness of that!"

Hunter snorted. "See you at the top of A Class." With that he walked away and joined his brothers. Hunter approached the table where he found Goliath absorbed into the odd book. "What's that little bro?"

"Mom's family records." He said.

Hunter froze. "What?"

"Mom's family records. One of those rich guys had it in his book collections. I took it back for mom." He said casually.

"You took it!"

"Well, it is mom's book," he said. "Besides, I didn't take it. I made a bet and won."

Hunter turned to Pac who nodded his head. "What bet?"

"Goliath bet the 'owner' of the book that he could open it, if he did, he released the ownership of the book to Goliath. If he didn't open the book, Goliath would live in the heroes association as the Class M Dragons they have been begging for." Pac explained.

"How could you have opened it after what we went through?" demanded Hunter. "I'm not even at my full strength!"

Once more Goliath shrugged his shoulders to it all. "I think I would have opened it either way, no matter what state I was in. After all, it's for mom. I would do anything for her." He closed up the book shortly after.

Hunter took a seat as he looked to Draven. He was in a mood of sorts. "You okay?" he asked.

Draven pouted. "How come I wasn't able to help?" he said. "I could have done something! But… I didn't. How come Goliath is so strong and not me? How come!" he demanded.

"God, we really got to mature you up." Hunter sighed.

"How about this little bro. Every time you read a book, I will teach you how to fight?" said Pac.

Draven's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep, and the more difficult the book, the more difficult and powerful the move I will show you. Do we have a deal?"

Draven nodded. "Yes!" he announced.

"I got some books at home you can read from, if you want help, I will help you. And the sooner you learn, the sooner you become a great fighter." Teased Goliath.

Draven didn't refuse that time; he accepted his brother's offer. Goliath actually got started at the table; he opened up the Brawler family history and began teaching Draven. Hunter on the other hand kept looking over to the disciples of Atomic Samurai, for they were also looking over at him. They would whisper before staring back with a glare.

"You okay Hunter?" Pac questioned.

"Not really. I just found out I am rank 5 if you can believe that."

Pac was stunned. "That's impossible!" he said. "You just started in Class A. You haven't done much recently, how the hell can you be rank 5 already!?"

There was something going on, Hunter knew someone had pushed his rank on purpose. He had little doubt it was Amai Mask, in Hunter's state, he won't be able to maintain his position for very long. At the same time, he has never been so close to the S Class. Pain or not, he knew not to waste this opportunity. He has to get through Bushidrill, Okamaitachi and Iaian to reach Sweet Mask. Hunter will endure to reach his goal. Slowly, he stood up from his seat.

Hunter walked over to the three disciples of Atomic. They glared at him. "What do you want?" demanded Iaian.

Hunter tilted his head oddly, as he stared at them, but then, his hand extended. "It's an honor to be ranked behind you. I mean no disrespect when I surpass you."

The three froze to his words. Bushidrill brushed off his hand. "Who said you are going to surpass us?" he demanded.

"I do, because I will." With that, he walked back to his table. Pac was stunned to his brother's tone, he sounded just like their father when he become determined. Before Hunter could sit down, his parents returned along with Alley, Snek, Suiryu and Max.

"You kids ready?" Garou asked.

But then, Melee froze at the book Goliath and Draven possessed. "Boys…"

"It's okay mom, it's ours now!" Goliath said.

She couldn't believe it. Goliath slid the book over to her as she went through each and every page. The whole family history was there, not a page out of place! She closed it up and embraced it tightly; tears of joy fell from her eyes as she thanked her children for bringing it back home. Garou even smiled. "Glad you got it, I was going to go back and steal it!" he said.

"It's home, finally home!" she whispered.

"Speaking of home, how about we get everyone back home to recover." Said Snek. "You guys are far from healed over, so let's go!"

The family nodded in agreement. They gathered up their things and left the association. Hunter however kept peering over his shoulder; Amai Mask still lingered in the hallways, grinning from ear to ear.

He has something planned. Hunter knew it. As to what, he couldn't be sure. All he knew now was he has to be ready.


End file.
